C25k

So I completed W2D2 of the C25k program tonight.

I'm finding it really tough to have the motivation to get out there and run - it's hot, I'm tired, I hate having to shower afterwards, my legs are tired, my dinner's almost ready...you catch my drift. I find once I'm out there, I enjoy the exercise, and when I get home, I feel fantastic. It's really only 30 minutes, which is nothing. By the time I've warmed up and done a couple of minutes of the workout, my iPhone churps up that it's 1/2 way! I find those reminders fantastic, they help to refocus me. I only wish they had one extra alert at the 3/4 mark, it's usually around then that I find my enthusiasm waining again. And yes, I know it's a matter of 5 minutes later!

I knew motivation was going to be an issue right from the beginning. I asked Marcus to be my motivator - the idea being that when I lost internal motivation, he would bug me to go until I got sick of it and caved. Unfortunately, I overestimated his motivation for motivating me. He's a bit of an exercise-drop-out enabler. I've decided that means it's up to me. I've met a few people on twitter who are also doing C25K. Seeing their tweets saying they have completed another run makes me feel behind and guilty. It's a pretty good motivator to get outside and run.

I'm also doing well with the 200 sit-ups challenge. I completed week 2 tonight, and have been able to consistently do more than the maximum number of sit ups required in the last rep. I feel really great about going forward to next week.

Initially, I had thought that I wouldn't do the test at the beginning of week 3 as I'm pretty sure approximately how many I can do, and was just going to go for the hardest column anyway. However, I've decided it will be a good marker, 1/3 of the way though, to see how many I can do. In theory, I would want to be able to do almost 1/3 of 200 - about 65. I can currently do 40 after the other reps, although it is a push. I think that I'll be able to 65, or maybe even 70 if I'm fresh and rested. So that's the plan for tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be able to blog again tomorrow with awesome news that I aced it!

Not a great weekend...

On Friday I did half of W1D3 as I got up late and didn't have time to do all of it. I was planning on going out on Saturday morning before it got warm, but I slept in again, so did nothing on Saturday.

Marcus' parents came over on Saturday night, which was, as usual, pretty quiet and awkward. I drank copious amounts of gin and midori with lemon juice, which made the whole evening much more pleasant. We also watched Boy (not usually a fan of NZ movies, but I thought it was fantastically well done!) and Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton version). I though it was a bit odd - I didn't like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory either, so I'm not sure why I thought I'd like it!

Today was Sunday, and I had work all day, then played underwater hockey for about an hour tonight. It's not a hell of a lot of exercise, but it's better than doing nothing. Work was a total clusterfuck, full of annoying staff members and customers who want to drive me insane. I'm so glad I only work retail 1 day a week now, sitting behind a desk is much better for my blood pressure!

Tomorrow night I have underwater rugby for the first time, which should be interesting!

I think I'll do the sit up challenge W1D3 tonight to get it over and done with so I can start on week 2 tomorrow. I've got my whole family involved, so hopefully that should create a bit of competition!

W1D2

Today I went on my second C25k run tonight. It was really great, I felt like I was more prepared having done it last night, and also knew better how my body would react. I've decided to try to run in the hilly areas around my house. I figure running on inclines will get me stronger and fitter more quickly.

I also started the 200situpchallenge today. I'm somewhat concerned that it's going to me too much too soon, but it's nothing I can't handle. My biggest struggle is going to be being consistent with it - I just need to get up every day and do it.

It's interesting how quickly my focus has changed from losing weight to getting fit. I realise now that if I focus on my fitness, the weight loss will come.

I also realise this isn't going to be easy, but like they say; all good things take time.