Training walk - 45min

Ok, so I went for my first training walk for my 10k. I needed to walk 45min, that's it. It wasn't a physically hard walk but it did feel a little bit long... more because I just don't usually walk that long with no destination. However, once I got going it wasn't so bad and the music was good so that helps.

I did learn a few things on this walk. Number 1 lesson - BRING WATER!! Geesh! I totally forgot to bring water and boy was I sorry. There were points where I even thought about going through the many (I mean MANY - there must have been one every 50 feet or so!) recycle bins on the MRC campus to see if there were water bottles with something left in them. I was so thirsty. At the end of my walk though I did learn that there is at least one open door to the college so I can go there for water next time and a bathroom - always good to know.

Secondly, I am going to have to figure out how tight to tie my shoes and see if there is something I can do so the bottom of my feet don't rub to much. I have orthotics and they help a bit but it still isn't perfect so I'll have to figure it out with trial and error.

here are my stats from my Nike + :
3.84k
45:33
11:50/k
486 cal

It's a good start. At 11:50/k it will take me just under 2h to complete a 10k, so I am on the right track to walk in less than 2 hours... things are looking good.

Earlier today I started to think about running next year and thought to myself, "What have I gotten myself in to??" But I stopped myself and told myself to focus on the current plan to walk a 10k and not to worry about 13 months from now. I need to focus on the little steps and not what seems like a huge leap of running a half marathon.

Sometimes I wish I was like some other people who 'fell' into running. One day they needed to take their workouts to the next level so they started running and then thought maybe they could do a race, a 5k say. I, on the other hand, have wanted to run since probably 2005 and decided I would take a 'Learn to Run' at the running room and couldn't keep up. I have been trying since then to run... I keep trying but I haven't really been sucessful. I've walked (but really would have rathered run) several 5k races. I am not the person that one day after working out for months realized that maybe I could run a 5k, I've been wanting to take the leap for years.

So what do I do after 'failing' to run a 5k time and time again? I sign up to run a half marathon - brilliant I KNOW! ;) I am not really beating myself up; I am more just realizing that somehow I am not happy with where I am at. I am not happy to walk a 5k. I WANT TO RUN!! So why not take up a HUGE goal and see if maybe finally I can figure out how to make this happen.

So that's what I am doing. I really don't want to walk 10k; I really want to run it but I am realizing one must learn to walk before one can learn to run. So off walking I will go. I'm ok with that. I can handle the babysteps if I know it will bring me to where I really want to be.... a half marathon in Iceland 13months from now.... that brings joy to my heart and that is what my 45min walk was all about today... I love it!

Babystepping my way to a half marathon,

Jocelyn

10k here I come!

So a friend and I have signed up to walk a 10k race in Sept. I have realized over the last few weeks that if I am going to run the Iceland half marathon I need to walk, walk, walk, first. I really am not a huge fan of walking but if i want to run I must first learn to walk. So off I go. Anita and I will be training together 1 or 2 times a week and then doing the rest on our own. At this moment I am also trying to plan to walk a half marathon this winter but I just don't know when or where so for now I am focusing on the 10k in Sept. I am really, really looking forward to it. It will be here in Calgary so there isn't much cost attached which is good but it's a good goal. I don't know what my time goal is yet but I am thinking 1.5-2 hours. We'll see what Anita wants to do too.

So tomorrow is training day 1, I plan on walking, simply walking at a decent pace for 30min. Then I will do an interval on Wednesday and Saturday and NEWOs on Tuesday and Thrusday. I look forward to it all. Life is changing and I love it.

Joce

3 km Race Day!

Today I went to a 3km race in Canmore. I woke up on my day off at 6:00am to throw on some clothes and drive out there. The drive was beautiful as always but I was late and thought I wouldn't be able to get my number, but I did - thanks goodness. I was ready to walk the whole 3k and no running. My goal was the finish the race in 35 minutes. I figured that should be doable.

I lined up with all the other 3k racers at the starting line and didn't plan on running, BUT I think when people start a race they think they have to run right off the top, so everyone was running and I didn't want to be 'uncool' so I ran too! ;) It was all good and I was happy to make the decision to run at least a little bit. I decided I would walk and run when I felt like I could. It was a great walk/run with a great view! How could it not be I was in Canmore after all! Yes I admit it, I slowed down enough to take a few pictures of the view. How could I not? Besides I had to take some pictures to make all my friends who didn't want to wake up at 6:00am on their day off jealous becuase I got to enjoy the beautiful mountains on this beautiful day.

I finished the race over 6 minutes under my goal time at 28:51:19, so I was pretty happy. I got my banana, watermelon and water at the end of the race - yum!

And because it's Stampede time there was a Stampede Breakfast as an added bonus. Honestly, it's impossible to go wrong with a Stampede Breakfast so I indulged as I watched the little kids do their obstacle course. It was fun. They are pretty cute and I think it's awesome that the little kids can take part in something too. Actually there were a lot of kids that ran or walked the 3k, it was great to see the families out there! I love race day! :D