6 Proven Things Every Beginner Needs When Training for a 5K #RaceDayRelief #ad

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I have completed more 5Ks than I can count. My fitness level varied at each race-- sometimes I set personal records & ran the entire race, and other times I was happy to have walked over the finish line in last place.

If you're a beginner, coming in last is probably one of your biggest race day fears. This may sound cliche, but even if you come in huffing and puffing into last place (been there) you're still lapping the person sitting on the couch (I have also been there). You will have a sense of self-pride simply for having completed the race.

I quickly learned that there are essentials when it comes to being a newbie runner. These are the top 6 things that are my personal must-haves.

{Proper Gear}

Having a good pair of running shoes is a must. I have used Saucony, Asics, New Balance, and Adidas-- my favorites have always been the Asics. It's worth spending a little extra money for a pair of shoes that will prevent pain in your feet, legs, and hips. 

You'll be a lot more comfortable if you have workout clothes that are made of wicking material. If you're plus-sized like me, it can be difficult to find good workout clothes so if you find some that you like--buy a few! 

Investing in socks that won't slip down into your shoes will help prevent blisters. If you're a woman, wear a supportive sports bra. I always wear sunglasses when running outside. You can buy sunglasses that don't steam up, but I've never bought them.  Wearing a non-slip headband helps keep your hair out of your face.

{Find a Training Program; Make it Yours}

You can find 5K training programs by doing a Google search for "5K training programs for beginners". My personal favorite is the Couch to 5K training program. Each training session lasts approximately 20-30 minutes. You have a choice between completing the workout for time or distance. As a beginner, if I completed the workout for distance it would often take me longer than 30 minutes--and that's ok.

There is no one-size-fits-all training program out there. You have to find a program and make it your own. As a beginner, I struggled to complete even running 60-90 seconds at a time. So I gave myself grace and I stayed on a certain week of the training program for as long as it took me until I felt comfortable or ready to move on to the next week. I would complete the same week over and over again, sometimes for months. 

{A Good Sports Drink}

Hydration is important when you're exerting yourself while running. I drank water at first, but then decided to try a low calorie sports drink and I was amazed at the difference that I felt. I had more energy and increased my endurance. I personally use a drink that's only 35 calories, is sweetened with stevia, and doesn't contain anything artificial. 

{Fast Acting Advil Film-Coated}

There's no doubt about it, training for a 5K can be painful. You're putting a lot of pressure on your joints and pushing your body to do more than it's used to-- you will more than likely be a little (or a lot) sore.

While training for any kind of race, whether it's a 5K or a stock car race-- comfort is key when it comes to the big Race Day. Participants spend a lot of time preparing for Race Day and not having to be distracted by discomfort is a plus for any rookie, even Ty Dillon knows how important it is to be comfortable for the big race after placing in the top 6 at his first race at a new venue.

While it's good to have a rest day or two prior to the official race day to make sure you're comfortable, one could also take Advil Film-Coated for fast acting relief from the aches and pains associated with running. Use fast acting Advil Film-Coated for headaches, muscles aches, toothaches, menstrual cramps, back pain, and aches and pains associated with the common cold. Because of the rapid release formula, it begins working within minutes and you'll be ready for Race Day without the aches to slow you down.

I found Advil Film-Coated at Walmart in an 80 count package which also contained 20 free tablets for a total of 100. It was near the pharmacy section in the Pain & Fever aisle.

Click here for a $3 off coupon for the 80 count+ Advil Film-Coated.

{Yoga}

Your muscles will need a good stretching after enduring a run. Yoga is a good practice for your cross training days. It feels absolutely amazing and is a great way to take care of yourself. It's good for the mind and body. You can find free yoga workouts on YouTube.

{Self-Love}

Most of all, be kind to yourself and show yourself love. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to be the fastest. You don't have to run the entire 5K-- it's ok to walk if you need to. Focus on the positives rather than anything you feel you're not doing well enough. Practice makes practice because nobody is perfect. Do your best and that's all that matters. The only one you need to compete with is yourself.

How do you make yourself comfortable for race day? Do you use Advil Film-Coated?

Weekend, Motherhood, C25K, Aspirations, and Gratitude

I had a much needed restful weekend. After Friday night, I actually didn’t leave the house once—I didn’t even go outside. And for me, that’s what I need to center myself again and recover. When I feel like that, I just don’t want anyone to see me—which I think is a pretty common feeling of those who suffer from depression.

We enjoyed supper out at a Mexican restaurant on Friday—it was delicious. My strategy at Mexican restaurants has always been to avoid the rice and beans. I’d much rather use points on the flavorful food. Most restaurants will bring you a salad instead if you request it. I also always make sure to get my meal grilled or “soft” instead of fried. This saves points and calories.

On Saturday, I straightened up the house that routinely falls apart when I fall apart. I cannot stand clutter. I am on a mission to get rid of things—I’d like to make a few extra bucks doing so but that takes time. So I guess I’ll go slow, but it needs to be done.

In the afternoon, hubby actually told me to have some time to myself and to finish up a movie that we started that he didn’t like. That was wonderful, plus he spent time with baby girl and she loves her daddy. I watched The Grand Budapest Hotel, which wasn’t all that spectacular but it was somewhat interesting to watch. I just enjoyed some much needed alone time.

I am finding that sometimes I just need to be alone with nobody telling me they need something, no complaining and whining, and no one touching me. I know that probably sounds horrible, but even just 15 minutes or an hour and I feel so much better and I’m re-energized and ready to go again. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family so so much and I love being with them and they are a blessing to me, which I am so thankful for. But do any other moms just not want to be needed sometimes? I’m beginning to see that just a little alone time is really important as a mom. Please tell me someone understands this! It makes me feel guilty to “say” it.

Sunday was just a low key day spending time as a family. Last night, baby girl actually laid her head down on my chest and let me sing to her and rock her. Usually she just can’t sit still anymore! That was precious and I savored that moment.

I think that avoiding stress was just what I needed. I am feeling better today and more energized again. I woke up early but felt lazy and just wanted to lay in bed. After breakfast, baby girl was pretty whiney so I decided I’d go for my Day 2 C25K run outside to keep her entertained. I knew I had to get it done this morning because it’s supposed to rain this afternoon (again). I had already made my coffee and everything—but I left it for later and went outside to get it done. (I’m enjoying that re-heated coffee now!)

This was my first jog outside pushing baby girl in the stroller. I liked pushing the stroller—it made me feel like I could hide behind it. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be—but my course was pretty flat.

The pushing of the stroller part was not that hard on my arms, I should say. After completing the workout, I still felt like I was going to die! It was so hot and I was sweating before I even left. There isn’t a lot of shade and the sun was so hot. But, it does make the workout go faster when you’re outside, except that I ended my workout on the other side of town and had to walk home almost another mile. But it’s all about activity.

I was interested to see how my stats compared with my treadmill workout. My average calorie burn per minute was the same. Since I was pushing the stroller, I couldn’t wear my Fitbit on my wrist to track my heart rate so I don’t know how that compares. My workout was also significantly longer since I had to walk so far home. The good news is that I earned 5,217 steps, burned 487 calories and completed 2.33 miles. I’m proud of that.

I was super duper red after my workout!! Told you that I was hot!

I signed up for our annual 4th of July 5K. My dad told me he would walk with me. I just want to walk this year—no pressure. I don’t want to be exhausted for the entire day from wearing myself out. Something is better than nothing! I think hubby is going to try to run it—we’ll see.

I feel like I have an awful lot of quit in me—but I am proving that I still have a little motivation in there too. I am proud of my progress so far and I think it’s important for me to build my self confidence and self image.

I have a whole bunch of thoughts to share with you on self image but I’m going to save it for another day because this post is getting pretty long!

Oh, another thing—I am officially going to work on writing my first book. Thank you for those of you who gave me the kindest compliments on my writing—it was just the push that I needed to take the plunge. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I have to start somewhere! It will be a collection of memoirs/personal essays on postpartum depression. I have shared quite a few of them here on the blog and I will edit those to polish them and also write many more.

I’m almost done here—but I just wanted to say how thankful I am for where I am in my life right now. I am overwhelmed most of the time, but this too shall pass as I overcome the PPD and work on bettering myself physically and emotionally. I am incredibly lucky to be able to go after my dream and I am thankful to my husband for providing so that I can do that. I have always wanted to write, but it seemed with working full time, going to school, taking care of the house, etc. etc. that I just never found the time to really put my mind to it. I have the opportunity to make time for writing now and I’m really excited about that. I feel like I’ve finally found my niche and my voice. I could also share a million thoughts about self image and identity on this one too, but I’ll save that for another post.

Have a great week!

Weigh in Day & Honoring my Commitment

I started this week off tracking everything I ate and sometime Saturday I quit tracking. Monday morning I started tracking again and come Tuesday I wasn’t tracking at all. However, this doesn’t mean I was eating everything in sight. I would say that I ate “intuitively” for the most part. Not all good and not all bad.

I definitely need to track my food—and I definitely want to do that this next week. I want to get back to how well I was doing at the beginning of this and I know I can do that—no holidays this week! But the 4th of July is coming up so this will be the perfect week to practice being on track before the holiday throws me a curve ball.

Alright, so for the results. I lost 1.6 lbs. this week!! That puts me at my lowest weight yet and a total of 11.3 lbs. lost in 12 weeks. Being just under 1 lb. per week- I can handle that. That’s progress.

Stats for the week:

• Weekly Points Used: --
• Activity Points Earned: 11
• Activity Points Used: --
• Total steps: 37,286
• Weight Loss this Week: –1.6
• Total Weight Loss to Date: –11.3 lbs.

---

And now for more good news. I said I was going to start the Couch to 5K this week and I finally did it. I got my workout clothes together last night so they were ready to go. I woke up early, fought a million battles in my head and finally got downstairs to get it done…well, after I removed all of the clutter in front of the treadmill.

Honestly, I think I was making it harder than it is in my mind. I remember when I used to do this that I couldn’t run for the 60 seconds without stopping. I slowly worked my way up to running miles at a time. I’m happy to say that I can still “jog” for 60 seconds without stopping.

Since this was my first jog back, I took it a little slower and jogged at a 4.5 mph pace. Towards the end I had to back it off to 4 mph…which I know would be walking for some of you, but I do not have long legs and I am kind of a slow walker—so this is still a slow jog for me.

Anyways, I completed the workout and felt like I wanted to die at the end. See?

But it’s done and I think that finishing strong will spark a fire in me. I forgot how good it feels to blast my music and just focus on moving my body and putting one step in front of the other.

I listened to my old playlist back from when I started and from when I was doing really well with my weight loss. I heard Christina Aguilera’s “Fighter” and that was always a song that inspired me. These are excerpts from the song that have always inspired me in this journey.

After all that you put me through,
You think I'd despise you,
But in the end I wanna thank you,
'Cause you've made me that much stronger

Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
It makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

But in the end you'll see
YOU-WON'T-STOP-ME
I am a fighter and I
I ain't gonna stop
There is no turning back
I've had enough

I turned on my HR on my Fitbit and it shows that I was in the fat burning zone for basically the entire workout. I spent like a second in cardio—so I guess I didn’t get my cardio in. haha…but I’m counting it as cardio.

So there ya have it! How was your weigh in?

Committing to Cardio

This post brought to you by an A Journey to Thin sponsor; content is my own.

I’ve been running my mouth about it for a couple of weeks now but it’s time to put my running shoes where my mouth is and take some action.

I’m committing to starting the Couch to 5K so that I can start reaping the benefits of cardio, some of which are explained in Women’s Health Magazine’s article titled 5 main brain boosting benefits of cardio exercises, which I can relate to my own life to help convince myself that I really need to do this.

I’ve been feeling a little blue again lately and I know that adding in cardio will get those “feel good” hormones flowing in my body. Not only will I grow my confidence, but (according to the article), I will also encourage brain growth and I’m down with that.

I don’t feel like I’m as productive as I want to be. My energy gets zapped way too quickly and by baby’s nap time I’m just ready to sit and relax with a cup of coffee in hand. According to the article, people who worked out were 23% more productive than on the days they didn’t work out. Coffee hasn’t been working its magic for me like I want it to, so instead of rolling out of bed and grabbing a cup of Joe, I’m going to start waking up at 6 a.m. for my cardio workout.

Last weekend when we went on a hilly bike ride for two hours, I started off feeling blue and ended feeling euphoric. The article references a study which indicates the exercise induced mood lift can last up to 12 hours—that gets me through the day! Exercise is great for stress relief and we all know I need that.

Why is it that the mind knows what the body needs and yet, while we never regret a workout, it’s a constant struggle to get it done? This is why I’m going to commit to get started by next week and possibly even tomorrow. I think that once I start forming better habits that I’ll be more inspired to continue on this journey.

I have no excuses—I have a treadmill and I can workout rain or shine while the baby naps. I also have a jogging stroller and could run outside if I need to workout while baby girl is awake. Not to mention, hubby and I could complete the workouts together. I just have to do it.

If you are interested in buying or using a treadmill or elliptical, you can refer to http://treadmill-ratings-reviews.com/ and https://fitness-equipment-source.com/.

Do you have any fitness goals you are committing to?

Randoms

I am happy to say that yesterday was a good day of tracking. I kept busy yesterday and earned over 8,000 steps. Now I just need to get back into exercising again and I’d meet 10,000 steps with no problem.

Hubby and I are thinking of starting the Couch to 5K program together. We want to participate in a 4th of July 5K that we have done for quite a few years but missed last year because I basically had zero energy (which I now understand was because of PPD…and just having a newborn in general). I really want to complete it this year even if I just walk it. It would be fun to push the stroller—but we’ll have to see if baby girl would be up for that long of a walk. She might just want to hang out with grandma. Besides, she hasn’t been waking up until 8:45 a.m. anyways!! You never want to wake a sleeping baby.

Last night hubby called and asked if I wanted to meet him in town for supper and then run errands that we didn’t get to this weekend. We got a few groceries, etc. I’m glad to have some good foods in the house again. I have been CRAVING pineapple lately…it’s just so yummy and delicious. I cut it up and keep it in the fridge for an easy and healthy snack.

I’m just wondering, do you all miss how I used to post daily recaps with pictures? I’ve been contemplating doing it again but also not sure I want to deal with some of the “drama” that comes along with it. Those of you who blog know what I mean! Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Well, I’d better get going so I can get to work finding more things to get rid of! No takers on the things I’ve listed for sale so far—bummer. But there’s still the consignment option.

Have a great day!

Thoughts on Running

It feels like I am making strides *har har* in the running department. :) No seriously though, it seems like since I ran the mile, and I saw what I am capable of, that I feel like I can do anything.

Yesterday, hubby and I rode our bikes down to the track again. Instead of running the mile again, I went back to the C25K workout and moved up to week 5. I am going to attempt to follow the schedule and go on to week 6 next week. Usually, I stick with a week until I feel comfortable to move to the next week. So in total, I went 2 miles. 1.5 miles running and 1/2 mile walking total. It took me exactly 30 minutes. The schedule is 1/2 mile run, 1/4 mile walk, 1/2 mile run, 1/4 mile walk, 1/2 mile run. So considering I walked 1/2 mile of the 2 miles, I feel like 30 minutes is an ok time for me right now. That means I was consistent in my speed because I run 1 mile in 13:15. It was extremely humid yesterday and that made it very hard to run. It was even worse when the sun popped out. But I finished and I’m very proud of myself for doing so!

I find that when I first start running, that my body says, “I want to sit down, why are are you doing this to me?” and my mind says, “You can do this, you’ve done this before! You’re capable of anything. Just keep going.” And after about 1/4 mile, my body starts to give in and everything goes well from there. Maybe it’s just getting those muscles working. I do warm up with a 5 minute bike ride to the track. Not just a leisurely ride, but I get my heart rate up. There seriously is a mind/body connection in running. I always hear people talking about that, so maybe this is an example of it. So not only will I be working my muscles, but I’ll be working my willpower by making myself continue.

As my body screams to just sit down and rest, I remember that 2 years ago, I couldn’t even run 1/8 of a mile. It will get easier, just like it has so far!

Miles, Sweets and ER Costs

Hubby and I went for another mile run tonight. It feels so good to be able to run. I love the feeling. I felt myself lagging a little more this time. I watched my time on each lap and noticed that I was 15 seconds slower on every lap. That’s something I need to work on. I gave it all I had on the last lap, trying to get my previous time or at faster. I came in at 13:20. 5 seconds slower than my first run. I was happy with that. It seems pretty consistent at least. My goal is to do a little better each time. I want to add distance to the run, but I feel like I’m really working myself by the end of the mile. Maybe I’ll give it a week and re-evaluate. I feel like I’m hurrying myself, knowing that I might be participating in a 5k on July 4th.

I feel like I’ve been going a little overboard on the sweets lately. Every afternoon around 1:00 I am craving something sweet. I’ve been doing my best to stay away from high calorie sweets and going with small treats. Like today, I had these little sweet tart chewies. I eat just a few. They’re 50 calories for 23 of them. I know I should stay away from sugar completely. Any suggestions for that afternoon craving?

But the problem is, it doesn’t stop there. I came home and ate a cookie. And then after supper I ate a small scoop of ice cream with a tiny bit of sugar free hot fudge and caramel. Embarrassed? You betcha. It wouldn’t be so bad if I had limited myself to one or the other. I certainly don’t need both in one day.

Otherwise, my eating has been on target. We’re so low on groceries right now and that doesn’t help. I like to have Arnold Sandwich thins for my lunches, but those are kind of a luxury at $2.50 a bag when I can buy a whole wheat loaf of bread for 79 cents. But I’m hoping we’ll have a little extra money for groceries this week.

Speaking of extra money, we’ve been working on getting out of debt this year and have been successful. A month ago, we got a bill in the mail for hubby’s emergency room visit back in January for $850. What a shocker! For a 2 hour visit. And get this- today we got a bill in the mail for another $380. I called the company and they said that the physicians don’t bill through the hospital, so there’s a separate bill for them. That’s about 2 weeks of my income right there for 2 hours of their time and a couple bags of fluid, nausea meds and a blood test. We didn’t even see a doctor. How is that ethical?

But- enough of my rant! :)