Day 45: Workin' It.

Sunday began week seven of the Post-Apocalyptic Workout.  Let's see how I'm doing, shall we?

Previously:



Today:

(I get faster, I get stronger, I get better at looking like a complete goof in my Scorecard pictures.)

I haven't turned into Terminator 2 Linda Hamilton yet, but today I did something that I don't think I've ever done before: I ran 25 minutes.  In a row.

I imagine this doesn't sound like much to the average runner or natural athlete, but for me it's been monumental.  I've always hated running from that fated first Friday of 7th grade gym class when we had to run The Mile.  You didn't have to provide more information like that, every kid knew it and (almost) every kid dreaded it.  We were instructed to "stick with people who ran at our pace."  While I played Volleyball and Basketball, I was at the most capable of short bursts of speed.  But endurance, and the regular thump-thump-thump of my Reeboks hitting the grass behind Hadley Junior High gave me nightmares.  It was a loop around the field, then across the street into a wooded area that's since been paved over by a housing development - the only time I've been thankful for suburban sprawl.

I'd line up with "the fat kids."  Every Junior High had them, and it gave them a moment to laugh at someone else for not fitting in, and I was happy to provide the service.  My friends would always urge me to keep up with them, but at the halfway mark I'd feel my lungs ready to burst out of my chest.  The second half of the run was down a dusty path punctuated with knee-high weeds, and during the Autumn and Spring months my allergies would  protest violently.  When I crossed the finish line, I was a puffy-eyed mess of phlegm  and sweat, and as my gym teacher took down my 13+ minute time, she'd shake her head and say I know you can do better than that.

Like anyone, I have a tendency to procrastinate.  When I'm overwhelmed with too much to do, my default is to sit down and do nothing.  But it I get myself out there, if I can separate my ass from the couch I have a tendency to push myself way beyond my limits.  When I was  rocking the sub-20% bodyfat  back in 2000, eating little and working out and lifting even more, I was constantly injuring myself because I couldn't quiet that I know you can do better than that. 

I thought about that the first time I completed the 20-minute run.  It was sheer hell.  I'm screwed, I thought, but at my next run I tried something a wee bit different: I backed off the speed, and instead of starting faster and slowing down, I started slower and sped up.  That was the first run that I felt like I could be good at this.  I could get faster.  I could go longer.  I just needed to trainer smarter, not harder.

I took that with me into today's 25-minute run, and while I'm still slower than the 10-minute mile that the Couch-to-5K assumes you are, I'm gaining ground.   In six short weeks, my endurance has greatly improve, people keep remarking that I've lost a ton of weight, I'm a little sore and tired but I haven't injured myself, and I've been able to accurately judge what my body can take.

I have until the Apocalypse to get faster.  I can work on it.

...

I owe a great big Mea Culpa to the people hanging out at the PAW:Home Game Board.  To say that I have a gazillion and one commitments would be the apex of understatement, and the board is one of those things that's fallen through the cracks.  I was thinking of asking the awesome crew at the Zombie Squad if they'd take the PAW Home Game Refugees in.  What say you? 

Previous scorecards can be found here.

Comments

[Alyce Smythee]

You're losing your boobs! Excellent.. It means I can soon steal more clothes from you.. ;) Although man, you're going to look hot in that strapless dress.

btw: Please move here and motivate my arse to work out.

xo

[Damien]

Damn fine work, there... I really need to work on my endurance, my running pace... You are a damn fine motivator, and have done a lot to get me motivated to work out more and more often. Thanks for that.

[the slackmistress]

@Alyce: I'm not! It's just a different bra - the one I have on in the bottom picture smooshes be down more. ;)

@Damien: Awwww, thanks!

[kate]

I just found this site and it is awesome. I've got some friends in St Louis who do a similar thing, but not the workout so much. They are survivalists who rather like zombie movies, so they call themselves the Zombie Squad. You should check out their survival guide and other survival suggestions (including the "bug out bag") for more essential skills resources.

[Catherine]

My career on the treadmill has gone in the opposite direction to yours - on my first try I ran for 37 minutes and have never since managed to match that time. Now I haven't run in three weeks. Reading this has motivated me to get up off my arse and try again, but slower this time...

[Complete Geek]

Congratulations on your improvements. You are an inspiration. Stress at work and the inevitable sickness that stress causes have made me slip back into my old habits. I'm still shacking off the last bits of the flu so I'm hoping to get back into the swing of the PAW.

Seems Hollywood hasn't had enough end of the world movies. M. Night Shymalan's latest film looks very interesting and will probably be mandatory viewing for all those following the PAW.

Trailer here.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/thehappening/large_trailer.html

[aliastaken]

Your progress is encouraging. I'm not trying to outrun zombies (though I guess that could come in handy), rather am working toward being in top-shape for my Zumba training session at the end of March. I'm trying to lose that last five pounds (ok I really want to lose 8) and it's just not happening. Maybe I should go with inches instead of pounds as a way to measure my success? Maybe I should go with endurance factor? I don't want to make a fool of myself at the workshop.

[Niki Spalo Juriga]

Nina, you crack me up. Shit, you couldn't pay me to run from a rapeist! just the thought of running 20 min while holding my tits in place is so tyring...You've got some balls though...tracking that shit on here. I love you for that! I'll stick to the elliptical, less 'bounce'.
keep it up slick!

p.s. wasn't that old field called 'hernia hill'???? I think I clocked in at a 14min mile back then...and no shower afterwords either...God forbid I mess up the hair!

[the slackmistress]

Aha, that WAS it. Hernia Hill. It's now a housing development, THANK GOD.

[astrothsknot]

You look a lot thinner in the face and you're standing straighter. That'll be the wieghts.

Looking good!!

[WriterJax]

You can really see the inch difference in your waist, kudos. The Zombies will shy away from your rock-hard core fer sure. Doesn't make for good eating - kind of tough and stringy.

As far as Couch to 5K assuming the 10 minute mile, I say that's bunk! I ran my first 5K three years ago and finished in just under 40 minutes - that's about a 13-minute mile, and today I've improved to between an 11 and 12-minute mile depending on how many Cheez Doodles I ate the night before. I choose to focus on the improvement. Plus, I have a swimmer's body, not a runner's, so it's amazing I finish at all, what with all the stress on the gills.

Keep up the great work!

[bebaker22]

Just one of your ZombieSquad friends checking in. For starters you are looking amazing, Congrats on getting out there and busting your ass. Your website has motivated me to use the gym membership a little more.

We'd love to have you join our forums over at ZS. Stop by and say hi sometime. You've even got a couple threads about your page.