First Mile

walk-5 min
Run-16 min
walk-8 min

Took a short 10 min break
Run/walk Intervals-20 minutes
Ended with a 2.6 minute Tempo jog/run
and a 7 minute cool down walk.

Total time: 1 hour.

Note: Temperatures were cool, 48 degrees. I ran at daybreak.
I ran my first non stop mile today. I have no way of actually marking the distance. I am guessing and using the time I ran the 400m Macon State track, which that took me approximately 3.5 to 4 minutes. So that's good enough for me to claim my first 1 mile jog. I'm going to increase the interval practice to 20 minutes and each day I'm going to include at least one tempo run/jog and hope to increase my time with that exercise.
For the past 5 days I've been running 8 minutes with a 8 minute walk break and then running another 8 minutes.
I'm surprised that I was able to combine the two 8 minute jogs into one continous 16 minute run. I didn't feel any different after 16 minutes than I did after 8 minutes so I hope to continue to go forward by running 16 continuous minutes every day for a while, and then after a week or so I'll increase the distance I run in that time frame.

Back To Work!

Walked 8 minutes
Ran 8 minutes
Walked 8 minutes
Ran 8 minutes
Walked 8 minutes
Up hill walk/run intervals 8 minutes
Down hill walk/run intervals 8 minutes
Walked 8 minutes
Total time 64 minutes

Cloudy and drizzling and the temperature was 64 degrees.

Began a 1200 calorie diet.
I'll start a food diary today and may modify the calorie intake goals later.
The elements of my diet are:
1. Keep a food diary - which includes foods eaten and weight for the day.
2. Have a target calorie maximum for each day, which may be adjusted either up or down.
3. Pick a free food, a part of my diet will to drink a 16 oz drink after exercising, it can be any drink. I think the free food is going to be apples and oranges.
4. Add additional exercise time for any calorie excess, for example if I can't resist that 100 calorie cookie, I must do additional exercise to burn off the equivalent calorie amount.

These websites have some ideas for burning off the extra 100 calories
OK Magazine
Now Weight Loss
Burn 100 calories in 10 minutes

Easter At Indian Mounds

I walked to warm up then
ran 8 minutes
Walked 8 minutes
ran 8 minutes
Walked 8 minutes.

Walked an additional 48 minutes
Rested for 10 minutes

Did 41 minutes of intervals 1 minute walk 15 minutes run. I covered at least a mile or two or even more in distance.

I walked up steps to the largest mound twice.
I ran and walked up hills and down hills. I ran on asphalt, cement and grass.

Total time 4 hours. The last hour was walking. I'm not able to run 10 miles yet, but I wanted to spend what I thought might be an equivalent time training. A runner can run 10 miles in under 2 hours. I think in running and walking for 4 hours I probably expended that much energy and built endurance.

A Good Friday

No rain, yet.

Walked 8 minutes
Ran----8 minutes
Walked 8 minutes
Ran----8 minutes
Walked 8 minutes

Total time 40 minutes. Two 8 minute run times is a total of 1 mile, maybe.
I'll run 8 minutes twice for the next week then I'll run increase the time to one sessions of two 9 minute runs the next week.
This new routine shows definite progress. I'm not out of breath. Tired of running in the last 4 minutes but can identify no reason to stop. My side and right upper abd quadrant is a little sore, but no real pain, or at least nothing to stop for.

Added 20 minutes of walking to be very sure that I burned 300 calories; therefore burning off three of the four cookies I ate yesterday.

Indian Mounds

Walked 8 minutes
Ran--- 8 minutes
Walked 8 minutes
Ran--- 8 minutes
Walked 8 minutes
Finished my day by running 10 intervals 15sec run 60sec walk.

Walked up a lot of hills and walked the stairs to the larger mound.
Total time spent at the Mounds was 2.5 hours

I used a hydration fanny pack. It's a $9.88 Walmart special and I haven't figured out how to remove the bottles yet. But I still really enjoyed having it. It has room for my phone and keys and a separate pouch for snacks. I'm sure I'll figure out how to take the bottles out of the holders before my next trip.

I may take the next two days off as rest days. It's supposed to rain tomorrow and I work Saturday. I'm totally hooked and may not be able to keep myself from doing a few 8 minute runs in the morning. Instead of making me feel wiped out the running is making me feel energized!

Moving forward to Eight minute runs.

AM
Bike: 10 minutes
Walk: 7 minutes
Ran: 8 minutes
Walk: 7 minutes
ten minute break
Walk: 7 minutes
Ran: 8 minutes
Walk: 8 minutes

AM total: 55 minutes

PM 19 intervals at 15 sec, 10 intervals at 30 sec.

Note: It's been 44 days or 6.2 weeks since I started running with serious intent. From February 24 until April 8. I'm on track with several beginner training programs. I am surprised! I didn't think I would ever make it to running an 8 minute run without stopping. The 8 minute distance is probably one half mile. The other day when I timed my 400 meter run at Macon State track my time for one lap was 3.5 minutes. Now I'm half way to my goal of running a mile without having to stop and walk. My goal is to run a mile by my birthday which is 59 days.

Foot Striking Technique

At Devine Sports the heel strike gets the vote. Basically it depends on the kind of runner you want to be or perhaps the heel strike is developed because of the kind of running one does. Sprinters run on the forefront of the feet because it is faster and the distances are shorter. Long distance runners run heel to toe.

The Runner's Repair Book, by By Murray F. Weisenfeld, says "When you run, you should land on your heels--not on the balls of your feet. Your heel should hit the ground first--then your arch comes down--then the ball of the foot and toes. You take off from the ball of the foot--and you're into your next step. Landing on the balls of the feet is bad for you because your calf muscle never gets a chance to stretch. It stays contracted. That's how calf muscles get short and tight. Any kind of running makes your calf muscle shorter and tighter, but running on the balls of the feet makes it worse."

Me, after the research I did today I went out and tried a couple of short runs using the different technques discussed. And I definitely favor the heel strike. I hit the side of my heel and roll forward to the forefoot. I think I'll continue to run the way I've been running and I plan to run with a shorter stride; that should keep my foot in proper alignment for a safe landing.

Running from Heel to Toe -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Expert Village

Easy Day

AM
7 minutes walk
7 minutes run
7 minutes walk
15 intervals of 15 seconds hard run 30 second walk
6 intervals of 45 seconds running and 60 second walking.
Finished out the hour walking. Total time 1 hour.

Notes:
I worked on my technique and posture today. I avoided leaning forward as I ran and I shortened my stride. Shortening my stride made my 7 minute run much easier to complete.
The following link has some good advice on the subject: Training-stride-length

Monday, Monday!

This is going to be a very productive day.
part I
AM
---7 min walk
---7 min run
---7 min walk
---7 min cycling
30 minute break

Part II
11 sprints
15 sec hard run, 3 min moderate to fast walk
Total time 35 minutes

Part III
next goal
session of 12 times 200 metres with a 100-metre walk recovery,
Or walk two minutes run two minutes. I Reached the goal I covered:
200 meters run and walked 100 meters
14 times + one 5 min cool down walk.
total of 28 minutes
14 minutes run
19 minutes walked.

Part IV
PM
---7 minute walk
---7 minute run
---7 minute walk

7 min sprint 15 sec walk 30 sec
5 min walk to cool down.
Added 15 minutes of dumbbell workout along with a couple
of modified pushups and sit-ups.

Totals for The Day
total run=32 minutes
total walk=81 minutes
total bike time=7 minutes
total exercise= 2 hours - aim for this time for each day this week. Take a day's rest only if I need to. I took yesterday and will try to wait until Sunday or even Monday to take the next rest day.
Interval Training for Runners
The following link has a good pyramid interval training schedule:
Cardio Activities in Men's health
Note: From the book "Cross Training Ultimate Fitness" I found the following information:
Runners can use intervals to work on speed without exhausting themselves. A four minute run is impossible for most people, but you can alternate running at this speed for 15 seconds at a time, with 30-second rest periods afer each sprint. If you train this way for a total of 11 minutes and 30 seconds, you will accomplish the equvalent of a four-minute mile.

Note: Paying especially close attention to breathing. Trying to breath slowly, and breath in through my nose and out through my mouth. I'm doing occasional exercises: breath in for two breaths, purse lips breath out three breaths.

Tired!

I had big plans to go to the college and run around the 400m track a few dozen times or at least 7 minutes worth. I made it around a couple of hundred feet past the 400m mark at about 4.5 minutes and decided to walk. At the 400m mark, one lap, my watch read 3.5 min. So I'm thinking I was running too fast, not because I think I made good time, but actually I expected it to take me about 7 minutes to make the one lap. It may have been the psychology that stopped me, I made the first lap and the possiblity of making the lap again was too much for my feeble brain, even though I'm sure I've been running close to 0.5 mile in some of my 7 minute runs, the distance seems different on a track. To keep the day from being a total bust I walked around the 1.5 mile trail and walked a few more laps; my total distance today was 2.25 miles.

On my way home from the college I stopped by Indian Mounds and did 20 intervals of walk 30 sec/run 30 sec. This should have been a rest day. I finished my day off yesterday with an hour of yoga. Unless I wake up in the morning in an extremely energetic state-- I will rest tomorrow!

Sevens

Today I increased my continuous run up from 6 minutes to 7 minutes. I had no problem running this time and distance. For the next week my first exercise routine of the day will be walk the dog, yoga poses to warm up; run for 7 minutes, walk for 7minutes, ride the bicycle 7 minutes; then cool down with a variety of push ups, crunches, dumbbell curls and yoga poses.
I also spent 70 minutes walking and running. AM: A total of 90+ minutes or 1 hour and 30 min.

New plan! I've noticed that most beginner running schedules, at my level, include several interval runs of 7 minutes. I don't feel that I'm able to do them consecutively, but I can do them over the day. So, I'm going to try that. Goal - run seven minutes 3 times a day.

Did it! My total 7 minute runs: ran 7 this morning; this afternoon I walked 7 min then ran 7, walked 7 more min, then ran 7 and walked for 7 to cool down. My recovery time was a little slack. My pulse very stubbornly stayed at 102 using a BP machine, when I took my pulse manually it was at 96.

Totals with 7
walked: 36 min
ran: 21 min
Plus: cycling and yoga and additional run/walking.

Another Rainy Day

I did weight training and pedaled for a while.
When the weather cleared I ran 1600 feet in 6 minutes.
Later in the day while I walked the dog I did a little jogging.