Run Two: The Good, The Bad, and the Less Ugly

C25K app log of Week 1, Day 2 -- it stops
recording at the end of 30 minutes. I really
did go all the way back home. 

I'm just a an hour or so back from my second "run". I use the quotes because week one of the Couch to 5K program I'm doing is 60 seconds of running alternating with 90 seconds of walking. Week 2 is going to be 90 and 90. I'm going to need at least one remedial week at the "week one" level. I am emphatically not going to be ready to level up after one more "run".

I have three thoughts about today's run which can be summed up as the good, the bad, and the less ugly. Also there was something kind of awesome. Or at least inspiring.

Less Ugly: I did not run like a duck this time. I stayed what feels like forward and up on the balls of my feet and didn't slap my whole foot flat on the ground on landing. I didn't feel like I was waddling horribly and my arms weren't flapping around. As this was my one stated goal for this run, and I achieved it, I'm pretty pleased about this. :D

Bad: There was a hill and it was very very bad. I now know that I am not in any way ready for hills. Unfortunately, the most pleasant place to run near our house goes along a lake at about 75 feet lower elevation from here. The pace and elevation chart that my phone made for this run shows me going along at a rather pleasing level of effort -- until I started coming back up that hill. Once I started with the *up*, my pace dropped and my perceived effort-level spiked. Neither ever recovered, even when I was back on the flat. The lake run will have to be a reward for when I've gotten more endurance and more strength in my legs. (Or have someone to pick me up near the lake and drive me back up the hill. But that would be cheating.)

Good: I did not have any shin pain while running. At least not in any sustained way -- whenever I started to feel it, I'd shorten up my stride a little and it would stop. My calves got tired but my shins didn't hurt.

Bonus Goodness: I was doing a little research into how long I needed to wait after lunch before going running and read several different articles recommending a snack of about 150 calories after the run. One of the examples of an appropriate snack with the right balance of carbs and protein was chocolate milk. So when I got home I made myself a cup of hot cocoa -- on the ground that the only difference between chocolate milk and hot cocoa is temperature. If hot cocoa after a run (in the winter) can be justified as something that will reduce muscle soreness, I'm all in. :D

The coolest thing of all was during a couple of my running intervals -- while I was going down the hill to the lake (so life was still good) an Obviously Extremely Fit Dude was running up the hill (really fast) and he gave me a nod and a smile like we were part of some shared society. I got another Secret Runner Society Smile from someone else when I was running along the lake. That was pretty awesome. Even more awesome because they didn't see me staggering and wheezing along as I was going back up the hill.

Goal for next run: Run all 60 seconds of at least five of the eight running intervals. I'm pretty sure I can do this, because I think I did three today. (I did mention needing a remedial Week 1, right?) Next run is scheduled for Monday.