I started the C25K program today. I first learned of the program from a college friend who started running for weight loss a few years ago. I was already in Japan, but read her blog and was inspired so I asked for some tips. She directed me to the coolrunnings site and I actually started the C25K program way back then. I've actually started the program two or three times, but sadly never got much further than week 2 or 3. I'm determined that this time will be different. I will finish the program and be able to run 5k!!!
From reading some other blogs recently about weightloss and healthiness journeys, I've seen the C25K is quite popular. I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the iPhone app for the program. I have been using my iPhone to listen to Yahoo! music when I walk anyway, so I figured I would try the app and I liked it a lot! The other times I started (and quit) C25K, I used a stopwatch and had to add up the seconds and minutes in my head and it was such a hassle. This app takes the thinking out of the equation, which I like!
I remember the first time I started the C25K program it was so difficult! I would want to quit after the first few runs, but I would force myself to finish, lungs, sides and legs killing me all along the way. Today was much different than before. I assume it's because I've been at least a little active the last few months between walking, Jillian Michaels' DVDs and Wii Fit. I was happy to finish my workout today with no pain and actually looking forward to the next run on Saturday! This week I've written my running days on my calendar and planned for today, Saturday and Monday. I think that next week though I'll make my 2 rests in a row on Saturday and Sunday since Koichi and I sometimes go walking together on the weekends. I guess I could get him to do a little jogging with me though, huh?!
In other news, I had a busy few days and it caught up with my yesterday. Sunday evening was my welcome back party at my friend Hiromi's house. She lives about an hour or so away and I drove there for dinner and then back here that night. Got home around 11 and Koichi was already asleep. On Monday I drove myself, my friend Kazuko and her daughter Mayu to a town called Kanoya which is on the other peninsula from where we live. Our friend Miki, who's a teacher, is living there so we went to visit her.
We left around 10am and headed to the ferry to take us to the other side. We met Miki around 1:00 and went for a picnic.
Miki's mother in law prepared some food for us!
After lunch we went to Osumi Lake to see cherry blossoms!!! My favorite time of year in Japan is when the cherry blossoms bloom!
Gorgeous!
Mayu, Kazuko and Miki - it was a truly beautiful day!
We found a branch just low enough for Mayu to reach.
After the lake we went for some karaoke! We sang for 2 hours and there were children's songs as well so Mayu got to sing quite a bit too. After karaoke we went to buy stuff for dinner. We decided to have "yaki-niku" at Miki's house. "Yaki-niku" literally means grilled meat and it's delicious! Unfortunately I didn't take any pics of dinner...
The next day we had lunch together before Miki had to go to school. She took the morning off! Then the 3 of us headed back toward the city, but not before we made a detour to a rest area just a little out of the way that has a hot foot bath outside of it by the ocean with a great view of Sakurajima, the volcano.
Kazuko and Mayu enjoying the foot bath!
Playing footsie with Mayu :)
Mayu and me with the volcano as a backdrop. It was blowing a lot of smoke that day!
A photo memory of our trip together. Don't know if you can tell or not, but Kazuko is pregnant...due in July!
Finally, one last shot of Sakurajima. See all that smoke? It's so cool and yet so scary at the same time!
I got home around 6pm Tuesday and luckily Miki had sent some food with me so I didn't need to cook for Koichi that night! Yesterday I was so tired, I seriously felt like I had jet lag or something. I woke up and got Koichi off to work, watched a little TV then went back to bed until around 11:30. I woke up again, ate some lunch, watched a little more TV and fell asleep watching "Remember the Titans" around 2pm and woke up around 5:30. I finally got up and got dressed, walked to the supermarket to get some groceries and came home and cooked dinner. Sleeping so much gave me a headache, but I literally had 0 energy. Luckily today hasn't been that way! I got my C25K workout in, chatted with a friend from college, decided what to make for dinner tonight and went grocery shopping. I even popped into the 100 yen store to get some goodies to send my nephews. I'll post pics tomorrow of some of the cool stuff I found today as well as tonight's dinner! Until then, sayonara!
From reading some other blogs recently about weightloss and healthiness journeys, I've seen the C25K is quite popular. I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the iPhone app for the program. I have been using my iPhone to listen to Yahoo! music when I walk anyway, so I figured I would try the app and I liked it a lot! The other times I started (and quit) C25K, I used a stopwatch and had to add up the seconds and minutes in my head and it was such a hassle. This app takes the thinking out of the equation, which I like!
I remember the first time I started the C25K program it was so difficult! I would want to quit after the first few runs, but I would force myself to finish, lungs, sides and legs killing me all along the way. Today was much different than before. I assume it's because I've been at least a little active the last few months between walking, Jillian Michaels' DVDs and Wii Fit. I was happy to finish my workout today with no pain and actually looking forward to the next run on Saturday! This week I've written my running days on my calendar and planned for today, Saturday and Monday. I think that next week though I'll make my 2 rests in a row on Saturday and Sunday since Koichi and I sometimes go walking together on the weekends. I guess I could get him to do a little jogging with me though, huh?!
In other news, I had a busy few days and it caught up with my yesterday. Sunday evening was my welcome back party at my friend Hiromi's house. She lives about an hour or so away and I drove there for dinner and then back here that night. Got home around 11 and Koichi was already asleep. On Monday I drove myself, my friend Kazuko and her daughter Mayu to a town called Kanoya which is on the other peninsula from where we live. Our friend Miki, who's a teacher, is living there so we went to visit her.
We left around 10am and headed to the ferry to take us to the other side. We met Miki around 1:00 and went for a picnic.
Miki's mother in law prepared some food for us!
After lunch we went to Osumi Lake to see cherry blossoms!!! My favorite time of year in Japan is when the cherry blossoms bloom!
Gorgeous!
Mayu, Kazuko and Miki - it was a truly beautiful day!
We found a branch just low enough for Mayu to reach.
After the lake we went for some karaoke! We sang for 2 hours and there were children's songs as well so Mayu got to sing quite a bit too. After karaoke we went to buy stuff for dinner. We decided to have "yaki-niku" at Miki's house. "Yaki-niku" literally means grilled meat and it's delicious! Unfortunately I didn't take any pics of dinner...
The next day we had lunch together before Miki had to go to school. She took the morning off! Then the 3 of us headed back toward the city, but not before we made a detour to a rest area just a little out of the way that has a hot foot bath outside of it by the ocean with a great view of Sakurajima, the volcano.
Kazuko and Mayu enjoying the foot bath!
Playing footsie with Mayu :)
Mayu and me with the volcano as a backdrop. It was blowing a lot of smoke that day!
A photo memory of our trip together. Don't know if you can tell or not, but Kazuko is pregnant...due in July!
Finally, one last shot of Sakurajima. See all that smoke? It's so cool and yet so scary at the same time!
I got home around 6pm Tuesday and luckily Miki had sent some food with me so I didn't need to cook for Koichi that night! Yesterday I was so tired, I seriously felt like I had jet lag or something. I woke up and got Koichi off to work, watched a little TV then went back to bed until around 11:30. I woke up again, ate some lunch, watched a little more TV and fell asleep watching "Remember the Titans" around 2pm and woke up around 5:30. I finally got up and got dressed, walked to the supermarket to get some groceries and came home and cooked dinner. Sleeping so much gave me a headache, but I literally had 0 energy. Luckily today hasn't been that way! I got my C25K workout in, chatted with a friend from college, decided what to make for dinner tonight and went grocery shopping. I even popped into the 100 yen store to get some goodies to send my nephews. I'll post pics tomorrow of some of the cool stuff I found today as well as tonight's dinner! Until then, sayonara!
I miss Wendy! And I want to eat EVERYTHING you talk about. PS I also downloaded the C25K app this morning. Might go for a nice little run walk tomorrow if the weather holds!
ReplyDelete