I'm sticking with my 10k training plan and have successfully completed week three.  Week three was pretty interesting because it upped the ante for running time and distance compared to weeks one and two.  Week three called for:

This is how it went:

Monday: 

Prescribed: 25 minutes "easy" 

Ran: 25 minutes, not so easy, but FUN, at the gym with my friends Sarah and Jen who are doing the 10k with me. 

Tuesday:
Prescribed: Easy cross train or off.
Did: 40 minute easy Cardio H2O class (my new favorite class, its so easy but so fun), AND a hardcore 1-hr core class after that where we did squats and planks until I thought I was going to die. I was SO SORE.

Wednesday:
Prescribed: 30 minutes running + 3-4 striders.
Ran: 30 minute at unknown pace or distance. Approximately 3 miles. (My friend also used her Nike+ and ours were .25 mile off each so that was kind of curious).  Three 100-meter striders.

Thursday
Prescribed: 25 mins
Ran/Did: Cardio H2O class again. Then did some running at a different gym.  Ran two 8-minute miles, did a total of about 2.6 miles.

Friday:
Prescribed: OFF
Did: NOTHING!

Saturday:
Prescribed: 4 mile long run.
Did: 4 mile trail run as part of fun run/race. Details to come! Average pace: 10:06.

Sunday:
Prescribed: Optional Cross Train
Doing: NOTHING. Homework all day!

In reflection of my week, I feel like I have improved from week 1, where running one mile was getting to be pretty tiring after taking a few weeks off due to finals.  I think after 16 weeks of this training plan, I will hopefully be more than ready for a 10k! :)

10k Training Starts Today

My friend Jen and I signed up for the Illinois 10k (part of the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon weekend).  We both started running in November/Dec of 2012 and are somewhat on the same level of speed and fitness.  Ok, fine, she's a bit faster than me. BUT she's a good friend and is going to stay on pace with me and train with me for the 10k on April 27 of this year. 

I looked up several training plans online, it seemed like there was not one that fit right for our level of fitness.  We aren't quite beginners because we have been running for a few months now and can finish a 5k if need be (let's not talk about my latest running slump).  We surely aren't intermediate yet, having only run for a short number of months and not quite having a base level of fitness.  So we are beginnermediate I suppose?  Alas, there were no beginnermediate training plans that I could find, so I combined a few (here, here, here) and made my own.  It is 16 weeks long because that is how long we have until the big race. You can click on the image to view it larger.

My primary goal is to remain injury free during this entire period and finish the race.  If I want to have a lofty goal, I'd like to run the entire race nonstop.  An even loftier goal would be to run it at a 10:00 min/mile pace.  My loftiest goal will be to complete the race, outfitted head-to-toe in lululemon with my mascara still looking great and a radient but not sweaty-pig-like glow ;)  Anyone have any good pictures of their first 10k?