First Blog

May 1, 2008

This week I've started running again. Running is something I've flirted with for the past five years now. I was in drum corps with the Concord Blue Devils in 2004 and 2005 and we ran fairly frequently, especially during spring training. Back then, I was running about two and a half to three miles without stopping (and that's a lot for me!!). I would definitely describe myself as more of a sprinter than a distance runner because I have absolutely no endurance as far as distance goes. I found Ccomplete Running a few months ago, and really loved the tips on it.

Right now, I'm doing the 10 beginning running tips routine of starting a run/walk workout. This week, I'm running two minutes and walking one. I also swim daily, usually at least 1000 yards. Here's the catch......

I graduate from the Univ. of Texas-El Paso in a week and a couple of days, and will become a band director for one year of my life HOWEVER, I plan on joining the United States Coast Guard around June of next year, provided they take me. I need to start getting in shape now though because I want to qualify the best I can on their PFTs. The swimming, I'm not worried about. It's the running that scares me. I need to be able to run a mile and a half in 15 minutes, and while that may seem slow, I wipe myself out doing it in 18, and that's on a tredmill. Not only that, but I WANT to pass under the men's qual time which is around 12 minutes with a little change. So....... This week I set out on my journey to get the fastest mile and a half I can. I'm going to do it by working my endurance up to at least a 5k, hopefully a 10k, and on days that I don't run for distance I'm going to work the tredmill gradually faster and faster... Wish me luck! Updates will more than likely come frequently as I try to motivate myself up off the couch and out to the road!!!