After a long time, I have completed the Couch to 5Km running plan on my fourth attempt of the plan. I’ve been interrupted by laziness, injury, laziness, sickness and more laziness, I’m done! I haven’t run (and probably been fit) like this in years.

The last week of the plan was not that fun. I had some inconsistency in the last couple of weeks so it may have contributed to the sheer boredom and fatigue that happened on all three of my 30 minute runs. The runner’s high wasn’t kicking in fast enough, and I would just count down until 30 minutes were up. It wasn’t that enjoyable.

Today, I had great run. I was full of energy. Maybe it was because it was in the morning (usually run in the evenings), the weather was beautiful (it rained overnight but was sunny and just the right temp), and I had finally achieved some consistency from last week. The high was there after the first ten minutes as opposed to the twenty last week. I ran for 35 minutes straight today. I plan to do that for at least another week then up it another 5 minutes, eventually reaching my goal of 45 minutes 3x a week. Then keep that up in the gym or in a field house (ugh) for the rest of the winter. I’m considering running a 10K in May.

I  still do 20min of yoga after every running though I’m in a dire need of a new yoga DVD. I am not doing pilates these days though, but I’ll take up again next month. I’m also trying to work on the idea of doing pushups, lounges, and squats until I do. I can do like 2 push ups, but I need to do some strength training.

Tomorrow, I will start Week 4 of the Cool Running Plan. Technically I’ve actually been running for two weeks as I skipped the first week. You shouldn’t skip weeks on the plan, but I had stopped running for almost three months. I did not make it Week 3 in May so I’m starting to feel the runner’s high which is good and makes things easier. I follow my running with 20 minutes of relaxation yoga. My hamstrings are still very inflexible, but once I feel ready for it, I’m going to purchase other yoga DVDs. On the days when I do not run (every other day), I do pilates; I’ve only just upgraded from a single 10 minute workout to a 20 minute. I would do more, but it really burns and tires me especially since I am suppose to take it easy on the non-running days this early in the running plan.

My favourite activity of the three changes periodically which changes my focus and long term fitness goals. Yoga has been winning for the last couple of weeks, but pilates is very useful these days now that I’m doing heavier cardio. Strength training for your core is important for all workouts. Back to flexibility and yoga, I don’t necessarily aim for headstands/arm balancing in my future, but I do want more flexibility and toning in my body overall.

Goals are to still lose some inches, tone my body, gain more flexibility, be in better physical condion, and losing a few pounds wouldn’t hurt either.