You know what really terrifies me when running?
Dogs and Cars.

Yep... call me neurotic or strange, but I'm terrified of both.

On the "normal route" I've been running there are lots of dogs.  Big dogs, little dogs, barking dogs, short dogs, fat dogs, yippy dogs, wiener dogs.  Full discloure:  I'm really not a "dog person", but despite that fact there is nothing scarier to me than a dog that barks and runs after me while I run by.  And who actually lets their dog run after people running on a road?  Well... apparently about 70% of my neighbors!  Then there's the house that I seriously won't even run by now, even though their dogs are behind a fence.  This fence is just a chain link fence... and not a strong one at that, and both of the dogs have muzzles, and growl and bark, and generally go ballistic as I run by.  I could have sworn that as I ran by on Tuesday I actually saw one foam at the mouth! 

I noticed I have now developed this habit of looking behind me every 15-20 seconds or so, freaked a bit that someone or something or somedog is following me.  Yep, I'm neurotic.

And then, there's cars - fast cars, beat up cars, loud booming stereo cars, sports cars, minivan cars, luxury cars, cars driven by teenagers, cars driven by people texting behind the wheel, cars driven by teenagers texting behind the wheel (shudder).  Cars scare me more than dogs.  People drive really fast... and don't pay attention.

Between watching out for cars and checking behind me every 15-20 seconds on the off chance that a dog is following me, just waiting to pounce and bite the back of my leg.  I am a neurotic, running mess! 

And running... it was supposed to relieve my anxiety from the cares of my everyday stress - I mean not that there is really any stress here (sick kids, bills to pay, deductibles to pay, ear tube surgery pending for Lily, missing work, a daughter that won't gain weight, a body that won't lose weight, commitments every weekend, messy houses, a trip to NC, an unmown lawn, a broken light switch in the bathroom as my makeup is half on... yeah really there is no stress around here at all).

My sanity... questionable.
My determination and my drive... 100% intact!

I am on week 5 of the run a 5k plan, and I am fully committed and doing it.  I missed a few days while I was in North Carolina last week, but I am back strong again.  Tuesday night I ran 2- 14 minute stints.  Tomorrow it will be 2- 15 minute ones.  And on Saturday I will run my first 5k since before I got pregnant with Lily (Sept 2010). 

Last week I considered skipping it, but some friends convinced me that I should do it - that even if I had to walk, it would be fun.  They were right, of course, and yes I'll probably have to stop and walk a couple of times, but I know I can make it.  Initially I didn't like the fact that I would probably have to walk a few times - I am a perfectionist - but I always say progress not perfection, and from no exercise to running a 5k in 5 weeks... that my friends is progress that I am dang proud of! 

My ideal goal?  To finish in under 40 minutes.  What I'll take?  To finish at all with a smile on my face, proud of myself for running again, proud of my body for hanging in there, and proud of my mind for making it happen.

I got this... and on Saturday morning at Lake Como... I shouldn't even have to battle cars or dogs - SCORE!

I made it through my first week.  I ran.  I conquered.

Whenever I start something new, there is always this small (annoying) voice in the back of my head that keeps telling me, "You can't do this." or "Who do you think you are?  You aren't a runner." or maybe "Ha ha, you'll collapse if you even try to run 2 feet."  Those voices are quiet now, because I can do this, I am Sarah and I've lost 115 lbs before and run 2 5ks, so I am a runner, and screw you I've run an hour before without collapsing, I can and I did run 1-2 minutes at a time without collapsing this week so shut it!

Run 1 was on Tuesday - of course I chronicled it here.  It was alternating 1 minute of running with 1 minute of walking, 10 times.  I survived and at the end I knew I would be feeling it the next day.

Run 2 was on Thursday, it was the same length and type as Tuesdays.  It was easier to get out the door, but the first 15 minutes were pure hell.  I was still hurting from running Tuesday.  It was strange though, once I got about 15 minutes in I felt like the chains had been lifted from my legs, and my heart rate actually slowed down. 

Run 3 was on Saturday.  This is where my running time doubed to 2 minutes at a time, alternated with 3 minutes of walking times 4.  Going from running 1 minute to 2 is a big stretch.  It was hard.  I ran in the afternoon, and it was nearly 80 degrees - which is crazy for MN in March!  Luckily, though, there was an amazing wind that helped to cool me down.  I was sweaty, but celebrated afterwards if a St. Patrick's Day drink.

Run 4 was Sunday, 5 pm.  Same type as Sunday only 3 times.  I felt strong.  I was no longer sore from earlier in the week, and I even stretched my last interval to 2-1/2 minutes.  My body is begging to go longer, run a little more, but I know that I'll be grateful I am starting slow.

Its strange... I can't believe how quickly my body is remembering what to do.  When I started running nearly 2 years ago now, I was about 10 pounds lighter than I am right now, and I had been exercising at Curves for nearly a year, so I was in better shape.  But, this time the running is coming easier.  I don't know why, but I like it!

And I posted this on facebook yesterday, "Running burns more calories than walking but walking burns more calories than sitting on the couch! Whatever you do is better than nothing!"

And I believe it.  If you choose to run, aweseome!  But if you choose to walk, or do anything exercise, then equally as awesome! 

How was your week and what did you do to exercise?