Week 17(Or Month Five beginning!)-Run 14 walk 1 2 times

This will be brief. Started month 5 today instead of yesterday. Will double up a run tomorrow. LOVED running 14 minutes! Thought I would be fatigued after the weekend in New York but I wasn't. I am so relieved that getting out my running routine didn't penalize me. I walked hours and hours in the city, so I guess that kept me up to snuff. I LOVE New York! More on that later! I bought two cute nike running tops at Macy's up there as a souvenir. I'll remember New York every time I run. How cool is that?

Week 16-Run 12/walk 1 2x with 4 minute push run at end

I cannot believe I am even entering this blog! I am finishing up month FOUR of my running quest and it just continues to get better and better, I continue to evolve internally and externally as a person. It is becoming a dramatic change, especially on the inside. I think the two best benefits right now of running are the sense of well being I carry with me through the day physically and the change in my relationship to food. More and more I am trying to fuel my body for runs. More and more often I make the choice to eat the healthy option. The result is lost weight and a change to my body shape. HALLELUJAH!It revolves around the runs. I am aware that extra weight on the body slows you down, so I want to run faster, so I eat healthier. I used to be motivated with diets to lose weight..the pressure was always an enormous negative stressful experience. I never enjoyed dieting! That's because food is my drug of choice. For some reason attaching the eating to the runs neutralizes the emotions associated with eating. This is a tremendous breakthrough!

This weekend I am flying to New York for the first time! I will turn 50 while I am there! I plan to run Bryant Park on Saturday and Central Park on Sunday. At least that's the plan! Plan on some running pics here when I return and more details of this fantastic trip!

Week 15-Run 10/walk 1 for 2x with 8 minute run at the end

Well, let me just say this! Running is an athletic endeavor and you must strive to eat healthy and live healthy. Last week I was struck with what I thought was an earache. All my home remedies were of no avail. Finally, yesterday I went to my doctor who pronounced my ears perfectly healthy but my jaw was another matter. It seems I have "TMJ". I've heard of it but had never experienced it before! I am on soft foods and painkillers and YES, I have continued my running! Today was really tough! I ran the first ten minutes and then walked a minute but when I started my second ten minutes I got terrible stomach cramps and had to hobble home.I only got five minutes into the second run. Sooo, this afternoon when I got in I tried to make up the run time, which I did and then some. I don't think it's as good of an effect when you split the run, but in times of emergency you just gotta do what ya gotta do! I've decided in times when I am sick or under the weather I will split the run. I am feeling much better now that I know how to lessen the pain.
Running continues to mentally challenge me, but I need it. I do believe it's the only real challenge I am facing in my life right now other than raising a teenager with the help of my parents. Honestly, THAT is the hardest part of my life and he's a GREAT kid! I can't imagine if he was horrible or something!I guess compared to others, I don't have problems, then, do I?

Week 14-run 8/walk 1 for 3x with a 3 minute push run at end

After struggling through week 12 and its 12 minute runs, it is nice these two weeks to increase mileage. I am regularly passing by the 2 mile mark now. It's due to these weeks of running then walking a minute. Before then I always had two minutes to "recover" between runs. Now it's one minute and the intensity is evident. You would think dropping from 12 to 8 would be going backward, but it's not. I notice I keep the sweat going throughout the run, the one minute not affording much of a cool down. I love it! I feel stronger with every run.
Now, for the food struggle. It's not as intense but I really have to watch my calories or the run isn't as good. Food weighs down the run. So, if I'm gonna eat heavier, it has to be the day I run so that the walk day follows. The love of eating is such a detriment. The running does keep me more on track, though. I am motivated by wanting to feel good on the run so I am able to resist more. It's still difficult, though.
I sent a fan email to John Bingham. I was on his website and decided to thank him for what his writing has meant to me and my sister as we learn to run. If I can figure it out, I'll paste it into the blog so ya'll can read it.
Thanks to everyone for their encouraging comments. It has helped me through some tough times!