Runing Rockstar? Not yet, but soon!

So the FroggerGirl Feelings Funk has lifted! Happy Hour w/Princezz, a decent nights sleep and putting a few ducks in a (mental) row have been immensely helpful! And oddly enough the same thing that helped trigger some funkage on Sunday also helped to lift it, and that is my newish morning run routine.

I've always had a bit of an athletic inclination, emphasis on bit, yet in the past few years I've been in an out of regular physical activity and I decided enough was enough! For my 29th year I've decided to refocus on me, get my career goals a bit more in focus, look at my life and friends and really nurture and grow the good relationships and feelings, and most importantly, get my ass in gear to prep my inexorably aging body for the long haul ahead!

When I moved to DC four years ago I dropped about 20 lbs (thank you elliptical machine!) and got myself to my current state, I'm in decent/OK shape, and I occasionally reach good/great status for brief flashes. Yoga has been great for me on mental and physical levels, but right after my Birthday I started my new challenge, The Couch to 5K Running plan.

One brief history disclosure, I have started and stopped the Couch to 5K plan 2 other times. Both times I made almost to eh 9 week finish mark, but ended up wimping out b/c of illness or scheduling excuses. This time I will make it to the end and keep it up! I like this program, it is easy to follow (when I'm no wussing out) and the Ullery Podcast makes it pretty idiot proof. All I needed was a new iPod Shuffle (my old iPod was offially skunked/dead), downloaded podcast (which is set to music AND tells me when to do what interval) and the mental toughness to force myself to wake-up early. The waking up early part is the toughest for me, a natural night owl, but once I did a few times I discovered it's not nearly as awful as I had feared! :)

Sunday I finished Week 2, and it was a good run. I felt good, the weather was nice, and I finished my last running interval strongly. Yet, when I got home fatigue, muscle soreness and my own hormonal/stressed mind started in on my and my physically tired state caused by meh sleep and the run just made the funk creep in. I tried to focus on the good stings, like hey, I have consistently gotten-up at the crack of dawn to run for 2 weeks, but it was hard to do.

Today, Week 3, more running than walking is creeping into the training, and the challenge is rising. Today the weather was great, low humidity, still in the 60's, just enough sun. The trail I run is relatively busy, so I pass a lot of people out for their morning walks, runs, or bike rides. It makes the morning feel brighter to see so many folks out and about, plus I get to see lots of dogs and since i can't have one of my own yet, I get the vicarious thrill of dog walking/running. I finished my lat run interval strong, I felt great. As the day has moved on I am a bit sleepy, but I still feel good.

I think this whole morning exercise thing will work out just dandy! This time I will make it to the 5K mark and then I can start thinking about The Race for the Cure or other actual event runs.. I have moral support in the form of runner friends including the Princezz who is running the same plan, so this time I think I may actually make it to the "great Shape" mark.

I think 29 is going to be one hell of a year for FroggerGirl! One of her best yet! ;)