Week 10 - Closer to the 5K

Since the last update, I've done a pretty good job of staying on schedule. But it was HARD. The heat this past holiday weekend was debilitating and made it harder to run. However, here's the update.

Thursday, May 24 (run):

3.10 miles
38:53 minutes
348 calories
12:33 minutes/mile

Saturday, May 26 (ridiculously HUMID/HOT run):

2.90 miles
37:07 minutes
325 calories
12:48 minutes/mile

Sunday, May 27 (walk):

4.10 miles
1:00:47 minutes
458 calories (though, not accurate since I didn't change the settings on the phone)
14:49 minutes/mile

Monday, May 28 (run):

2.16 miles
26:51 minutes
242 calories
12:24 minutes/mile

I've noticed that the first couple miles are fine, but anything after 2 starts to get slower. Obviously, endurance is an issue, but I know that will come with time in order to be able to do longer runs.

My goal with the 5K is to finish in 40 minutes or less. I think it's doable, but also don't want to push myself too hard as I build up to this.

Motivation - Week 8

So, I started a more regular schedule last week. I had looked at my past outings and saw the pattern that I had improved from 15 minutes/mile at the beginning to somewhere between 13-14 minutes/mile recently. I decided to make a new short term goal to get to between 12-13 minutes/mile. I was actually able to get there the two times I ran last week. Mostly because I upped the amount I was running. I'll try to keep this up for a bit, then lower my time goal again.

Then the end of the week just got to me. I've lost my motivation - not just for going out to run but for some other things too. This isn't a good time for it either, as I have some deadlines to meet both personally and professionally in the next couple of weeks. I skipped my run on Saturday because I was gone most of the day. I skipped my walk on Sunday because my body was really sore and once I sat down from getting home from face painting at the East Lansing Art Festival, I couldn't talk myself into getting up again. Plus, I had laundry to do.

I'm really looking forward to this coming 3-day weekend. I have nowhere I'm planning to be except home. I have grandiose plans to work on paperwork, clean my apartment and make sure I run and walk. The main goal is to give myself a break (sort of a mini-vacation), since I haven't taken a long period of time off (unless you count that mono thing in the fall) in quite awhile. I'm also hoping to sit down and figure out when I may be able to take another longer weekend over the summer. I'm starting to think that lack of a break is having an effect on me and my motivation.

I just feel like there's something missing and I can't put my finger on it. I can see light in the future when I look ahead in about a month or so, but for the time being, it seems I'll just have to push through.

Recap time!

Sunday, May 13 (walk):

4.12 miles
55:35 minutes
327 calories
13:28 minutes/mile

Tuesday, May 15 (run):

2.08 miles
26:36 minutes
233 calories
12:47 minutes/mile

Wednesday, May 16 (run):

2.15 miles
26:43 minutes
241 calories
12:25 minutes/mile

Time

I admit it. I'm guilty of making the comments "I wish I had more time" or "I don't have time for that." Come on - you know you have too.

But a comment I saw the other night pushed me over the edge (I might have been having a stressful day - LOL). I happened to be working on something online and had one of the basketball games on in the background on my TV. Of course, it was one of those games that broke my bracket, which honestly could have been any game in the last few days!

Someone posted (paraphrasing this) that in another life maybe they'd have time to do something trivial like brackets. Now - I am not a basketball fan that watches games throughout the entire season. Though I find it fun to do a bracket and see how good my guesses are. It takes me about 10 minutes to actually put the bracket together.

This comment started to make me wonder "well, how much time do you spend on Facebook? Procrastinating? Doing whatever you do?" And it made me remember what time management is really all about - PRIORITIES.

People tell me that I'm busy all the time. And it's true. However, my schedule has been altered a bit since the beginning of the year - I'm not spending 8 hours a day (or more) at work at the moment. Things have been a bit easier to juggle, and it's been a bit easier to fit in some of the things I like to do but don't always put as a priority, like reading.

My position on the Michigan Jaycees state board of directors takes me all over the state. I'm in the car a lot. I've traveled over 2,000 miles just going to chapters across the state (that's not even counting all that I do with my home chapter). But, it's about putting a priority on things. I keep track of my deadlines and if I slack off, I know I have to bust my butt to get it done.

We all commit to something - whether it's our family, friends or extracurricular activities. We have time - we all have 168 hours in a week. But we have to choose how to use them, and balance our lives so we get the most out of them.

I'm actually looking forward to reading a book called "168 Hours: You Have More Time than You Think" by Laura Vanderkam. I still need help sometimes in prioritizing and using my time in the best way possible.

I know when I am back to work, I will have to reorganize my schedule and reorganize my priorities (goodbye reading, ). I am hoping this book helps along with knowing what I want to do with my time.