Days 7 & 8

Day 7 was a running day. So I slipped on my shoes, grabbed my running hat, and turned on my tunes and the Couch to 5K Training App on my phone.  I was nervous. I wasn't sure I could do it. Day 7 happened to fall on a day where I went to the "next level" on my 5K training -- my running intervals got longer and my walking intervals got shorter. Looking at the numbers, it felt like a significant change. I went from alternating between 90s and 3min running intervals to alternating between 3min and 5min running intervals. I was nervous that my calf cramps and shin splints would kick up and I wouldn't be able to finish.  I. Was. Terrified.

But I made myself a promise -- to not worry about the speed, but to just do what I could for as long as I could. I could slow down if I needed to as much as I needed to, but there would be no stopping until I heard the beep.

Have I made it clear that I went into Day 7 in a doubtful, insecure mindset? Yeah... I have heard so many times (and remember from my running days) that running is often more of a mental challenge than a physical one. That it will be your head that wants to stop more often than your body. And on Day 7, my mind was ready to stop before I even started.

But between my promise and repeating to myself "Mind Over Matter", I made it through. I noticed that although I was still having some calf cramps and some shin splints, the severity of them both had decreased. I finished every single interval without stopping. Although it was a slow pace, I didn't stop. And actually -- I did better than I'd done yet! I completed 2 miles in 30 mins when that distance has been taking me 35-40 mins. I could not have been more pleased with my run!

Day 8 was a weighted circuit workout. And my popsicle stick pick chose a Booty Blaster workout I got from JillFit (possibly from the 20x20 challenge, possibly one she attached to her periodic emails - I couldn't tell you to be honest). Daniel was headed to the gym at the same time I was planning to start, and he encouraged me to come to the gym with him. So begrudgingly I did. Once again, I was in a poor mood -- I'd woken up to my period, I was starving again (worst part about being on your period is that you're hungry all.the.time.), I didn't sleep well, AND I had to take a longer drive to the gym due to a road being washed out from the hurricane. To say that I was ill is an understatement.

The workout was planned by Jill to be 20 mins long. 30 mins after I started, I completed my last movement and collapsed in a sweaty puddle on the gym floor. 30 straight minutes of non stop lunges, squats and variations of lunges and squats. Seriously. She wasn't kidding around when she planned that workout.

And after the workout, although my butt and legs were on fire and could barely function to walk up the four steps to get into the house or the 10 steps to get to work, I felt great. I felt like I had accomplished something. And I had. I had challenged my body. I had used weights I don't normally use and wouldn't have had access to if I had just worked out in the garage.

Standing up from a seated position was quite a challenge for the rest of the night, and continues to be a struggle today. 

So all in all, I'm continuing to make progress. I'm continuing to be motivated and determined to meet my goal and not deter from my schedule. I'm slowly growing to crave exercise every day. And that feels really freaking awesome.