First event of 2011

I signed up for my first event for 2011! This will be my 3rd year to participate in March For Babies. This is a special cause to me because my first born daughter was premature. If you aren't familar with this cause, "The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality." - March of Dimes website. You can support me or join my team by clicking on the link above or the box found on the left side of my webpage.

This is a 2 mile walk/run. So, I thought what better way to work up to running a 5k, than to do a 2 miler first. I have over 100 days until the event, so I'm going to work up to 2 miles and hopefully be able to run the whole thing. This will help me prepare for the 5k I will do in October. Baby steps. I'm still training on the Couch to 5k program, but have slacked a little. I have spent more time lately doing other cardio exercise than running. But it's time to get back on track!

A few hours later I decided to workout. I wanted to see what my pace is for 2 miles so I know what to work on for the March for Babies event. After stretching and a 5 min ride on the stationary bike, I hit the treadmill.

I started with walking and eased into running. I was able to run .75 mi without stopping. That is a first for me. With the couch to 5k plan, I have been alternating between walking 2-3 min and running 2-3 min for several cycles. I was happy to see that I could run for longer than I expected. I walked most of the second mile but did a few bursts of running. I ended up finishing the 2 miles in around 36 minutes.

This must sound really slow to those of you that are professional runners, but for me this was about on track. Now I know what to work on. I'd like to be able to run the 2 miles non-stop first, then work on the speed. I'm glad I have over 100 days to get ready.

After my running workout, I decided to pop in my newest exercise DVD, The Biggest Loser Cardio max!

I love this workout! And the cool down/stretching section was just what I needed. I don't want to be sore tomorrow!

I'm also using my Biggest Loser calendar to log my workouts.

I really like this calendar since it has recipes and tips included for each month.

I love the way working out makes me feel. When I lose motivation or feel like slacking off, I wish I could remember this!