Those that know me well have a better appreciation for how very far out of my comfort zone this is. I have never considered myself an athletic person... I don't even know if I could reasonably be considered an "active" person. In general, if I am running, someone dangerous is probably chasing me. So, naturally, when I found a program online called Couch-to-5K, that sounded like me.
I've been doing the program since mid-March (more or less... I've not been the most consistent... but pretty good) and I've taken my time working through the "weeks" listed in the program. I've been doing my jogging outdoors on the trails around our apartment complex and the adjacent park. As the weather has gotten hot in the last several weeks, I've not really been sticking with jogging like I should. The few times I've gone out recently, I've waited until almost dark, when it's a cool, crisp 95 degrees. Not terribly surprisingly, I tend to move very slow and wimp out quite a bit at these warmer temperatures. I end up sticking with the walk/jog intervals for the first half and then just walking the rest of the way home.
So, yesterday I tried something different. Living in an apartment complex, we have access to a fitness center that has a few treadmills, elliptical machines, weights, that sort of thing. I've avoided using the treadmill up to this point for a few reasons - mainly because for a wimp like me, there's value in running away from my home... and therefore being required to get back. Even if I walk the whole way back, that's still distance that I won't cover if I'm on a treadmill and wimping out is as easy as pressing STOP. Also, being outdoors has been fun and definitely makes the whole thing more interesting, even if I do occasionally see one of my students while I'm out on the trail sweating my face off and panting like a wild animal.
But of course, in the Texas summer heat, the treadmill starts to look pretty good. Yesterday I decided to restart my Couch-to-5K with Week One... on the treadmill.
I know from previous treadmill experience that I can walk fairly comfortably at 3.0 mph and still feel like I'm getting my heart rate up. I decided to push it a little bit and do the walking portions of the program at 3.5 mph. Now, the WeightWatchers website suggests that walking at 5 mph is a good speed for exercise. I don't know if it's a function of my current weight, or of my height, or of my generally "unfit" self, but 5 mph is not walking in my world. To be totally honest, 3.5 mph felt like I was booking it.
For the jogging/running portion, I thought 6.0 mph might be pretty reasonable, perhaps a little ambitious, but not out of the question. In real life, I will refer to 6.0 mph as "running from Satan" because it felt like breakneck speed to me! As in, I may literally fall off of this treadmill and break my neck.
Needless to say, my heart rate got way up there (at least according to the little heart rate sensor on the treadmill, I was clocking in at about 180), and I only lasted about 15 minutes total before hitting STOP and bailing out of there.
All this leads me to a question for the more fitness-minded folks out there.
I know I need to push myself... one thing the treadmill definitely taught me is that I'm sure my pace is all over the map when I'm running outdoors. But, is it better to set a more reasonable pace (whatever that would be.... definitely less than 6.0 mph) and therefore be able to exercise for a longer overall time? Or is it better to Run From Satan, even if I'm only going for 15 minutes? Or, is some mix of the two appropriate? This is one of those times when I wish I had Bob or Jillian (well, maybe not Jillian, she's frightening) helping me decipher when I'm letting myself wimp out vs. when I'm actually pushing it too hard.
4 comments:
This is the first time I have ever commented on a blog. It is scary, but as your former torturer, I feel motivated to speak up:
1) 5.0mph is retarded. You can't walk that fast. I can't walk that fast. When I sprint walk, it's 4.2 MAYBE. -If there is no pollen, I've had a full night's sleep, and I am truly motivated. 3.5-3.7 is very reasonable for a fast walking pace.
2) for someone your hight, 6.0 probably is Satan-esque.
3) Answer to your problem: Yes. Here's the deal: You're working for fitness/weight loss. You are not an elite athlete (like my crazy brother David). You want to do, say, 45 min of cardio at 75-85% of your max heart rate. That will raise your metabolism, burn calories, blah blah.
You don't burn many more calories running 6.0 than you do 5.5 over the same distance (some charts even say you burn the same amount per mile). -But you can probably run MORE miles at a slower pace. As long as your heart rate is in that 75-85% range at that slower pace, you're already getting max cardio benefits. -AND burning more calories because of the longer distance. -And the boost in metabolism after cardio lasts longer after longer work outs, so you'll burn a few more calories later, too.
Suggestion: try an interval workout that alternates 2 min of harder running (5.8, maybe) with 2 min of easier (5.5 or even slower). Add a few 1 min sprints at Satan speed at the end with 2 min at 5.5 between them, and you'll get the best of all worlds. Also, it's less boring to have a specific workout, AND it's easy to modify for your health (it's okay to walk now and then).
I agree with Carrie.
Also wanted to add that consistency is the way to fitness success (something I am not good at either) Pushing yourself is one thing...pushing yourself to being uncomfortable will probably lead you to quit.
I've noticed doing C25K on the treadmill, I will burn more calories at lower but steady intervals over a break-neck sprint.
In a lot of ways we should look at our fitness the same way we looked at our finances with Ramsey-advice...consistent and determined.
:-)
A little follow up.
Tonight I surprised myself in a few ways.
1. I came home from a bust day and evening rehearsal at 10pm... and went to the fitness center. This never happens. I wasn't even sure it would be open.
2. I abandoned the Couch to 5K intervals and kind of made up my own hybrid workout, based on the advice I received from various folks. If I recall correctly, I did:
* 2 minutes at 3.0
* 2 minutes at 3.4
(at this point I intended to do 3 minutes at 3.7 or so, but that was a really awkward not-quite-walking, not-quite-jogging pace... so I went ahead and bumped it up to 4.0, a definite jog for me, but something I felt I could maintain)
* 7 minutes at 4.0! (this is the longest continuous jog I've done since probably the Carrie Reading Torture days in high school)
* 3 minutes at 3.5
* 3 minutes at 4.0
* 3 minutes at 3.2
* 3 minutes at 4.0
* 3 minutes at 3.2
* 1 minute at 5.0 (not quite RFS, but a push for sure)
* 2 minutes at 3.2
* 1 minute of treadmill "cool down" - 2.5 I think
My heart rate stayed pretty consistently in the high 170's when jogging and in the low 160's when walking. So.... there you go. Discuss as you see fit.
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