That Darn 2.4 Mile Mark

Today I went for a wog around a local park that I know the distance on.  5 trips around is 3.3 miles, but there's a walk way through the park that if you cut through, it's just about a 3.1.  I wanted to get a time of me doing it outside without the treadmill controlling my pace, and to deal with inclines and real distractions.  I choose this park also because it's not hard pavement and my shins appreciated it!

Here was my first trip (and again, I'm not 100% on the distance, it could have been a tiny bit less, and closer to the 3.1 mark)

And that couldn't be more true.  It was a minute or so into my third lap and I died.  I wanted to quit. I wanted to walk across the park and get in the car and head home.  I didn't, but I let it get to me, and I let it slow me down. I fought with myself the entire lap.  

I registered for my first 5K and it's in 3 weeks.  So I figure I will practice outside on Wednesdays and Sundays until the big day pretty much. My next trip out this Wednesday I plan on making a few changes. The first is that I will not walk 4-5 minutes in my warmup, like I did today. I will do a little back and forth, and stretch, but I want to take off on my first 4min jog, and see how that affects my time. Because I know I'm not going to take off at the race walking, so I want to get a better feel. 

I've been doing 4 min jog with 2 min walks.  Although on lap three, I pretty much walked most of it. I did like a min jog, and then 2 min walk, then jogged until my timer beeped again and then I proceeded to walk.  But I was determined to do the distance just to know that I could.  I know it's slow, and most people reading this would be shocked I'm going to do the 5k anyhow, but frankly I need to do it and get the fear of the first one over.  Who knows, maybe I'll surprise myself! 

I also know that when I'm actually there - my walking pace will be faster.  When I was walking today, by myself I tend to go much slower than I would with others around me.  Either way - it's my race, and regardless of how long it takes - I'll be the one crossing the line and I need to be happy with how I did. So I can't compare myself to anyone else. 

Husband was there to cheer me on, give me support, and of course, snap pictures.

And since I forgot to talk about the trail we went on the other day (which by the way was AMAZING, and intense) - here's some pictures.

This was at the Ledges trail, in Peninsula.  There are so many little side trails and connections that I couldn't remember them all or where which pics came from where.

I do NOT envy that dude running up. I died walking up the steps!