23 minutes on the Treadmill

Forced myself to go to the Gym today after getting back from work, and ran / walked for 23 minutes covering around 1.75 miles.

For all the "running" I am doing, my health is not really improving. I should be consistent in my running. I should also move up the distance level - I am no longer a 5K runner after running for 3 years. Work is hectic, but I should give priority to running.

Fourth week training plan completed

Had signed up and paid up for running in the New York Colon Cancer Challenge 4M race today morning. Focus on reading up the Bootstrapper's Bible, cold and windy weather & 'spring forward' time change put paid for the plan. This is the second straight race I signed up but couldn't participate (Al Gordon Snow Flake 4M being the first one a few weeks ago - it snowed the day before, and I went Skiing)

Went to the Gym today afternoon, and completed the fourth week's plan in the Couch-to-5K training plan. Ran for 32:30 minutes completing 2.53 miles - alternating running and walking speeds between 6 mph, 5 mph and 4 mph.

Skiing & walking in Colorado

Skied today for 90 minutes (only!)
Walked for 45 minutes yesterday in cold weather - enjoying and getting lost in the Colorado University

Second day of Couch-to-5K training

Brave effort Prakash! Keep up the good work!

Today's workout summary:

3 minute warm-up
3 minutes stretching

On tread mill:

0-5 minutes: Brisk walk at 4 miles per hour
0.25 miles jogging at 10 minutes per mile
0.13 miles walking at 15 minutes per mile
0.25 miles jogging at 10 minutes per mile
0.13 miles walking at 15 minutes per mile
0.25 miles jogging at 12 minutes per mile
0.13 miles walking at 15 minutes per mile
0.5 miles jogging at 12 minutes per mile
25-30 minutes: Cool down at decreasing speeds

Stretching for five minutes

Total distance covered on treadmill: 2.30 miles in 30 minutes

Today's effort is slightly less intense than the recommended effort in fifth week of Couch to 5K plan. I will repeat the fifth week's plan again next week.

Back on Couch to 5K Plan

Started following the Couch to 5K training plan again today morning, in an effort to improve my running.

Spent 28 minutes on the Treadmill today afternoon with the following pattern:

1-5 minutes : Brisk walk to warm up
5-8 minutes : Jogging at 10 minutes per mile
8-10 minutes : Walking at 15 minutes per mile
10-13 minutes : Jogging at 10 minutes per mile
13-15 minutes : Walking at 15 minutes per mile
15-18 minutes : Jogging at 10 minutes per mile
18-20 minutes : Walking at 15 minutes per mile
20-23 minutes : Jogging at 10 minutes per mile
23-28 minutes : Cool down at decreasing speeds

Followed by 5 minutes of stretching.

Total distance covered : 2.2 miles
Total time spent (door to door) : A little less than 50 minutes

Unlike the earlier assumption of starting in the 5th week of the Plan, this is more like the 4th week plan. It will be a good achievement if I can stick to the plan and be able to jog 3 miles in 30 minutes in five-six weeks' time!

Break from running

Haven't run in the past couple of weeks. Probably went to the Gym only once.

Had signed up for the NYRR Al Gordon 4M run last Saturday; decided against running in it after it snowed heavily on Friday morning. Instead went Skiing on Sunday and had a good work-out on the slopes; 4 hours at the Ski resort; around 60 % of the time on the slopes. Exhausted for the next two days!

Gotta get back into rhythm in running. Upcoming signed up events in New York:

• New York Colon Cancer Challenge 4M run on Sunday Mar 9th at 9:00 AM
• Scotland Run 10K on Sunday Mar 30th at 10:00 AM

In addition, it is most likely that I will be participating in a running event in Bangalore when I am there between April 10th to 15th.

I am inspired by Dr. Rajat Chauhan's running; he is based in Bangalore, works at Manipal Hospital; an ultra-marathoner, a passionate runner! I am motivated to raise the bar and go for a Marathon by the end of this year!

An immediate goal is to be able to run the 3M distance without stopping. In that effort, I am starting again on the Couch to 5K Running plan, midway from the fifth week onwards.

Go Prakash! You can do it!