Congrats, Matt! Are you signed up for a 5K yet?

Thanks Kathy and Rachel! I hope to be more regular around here now that my HM training is over (until later this year again)!

I was trying to reply to a message in my inbox I received from a friend, and no matter how I format it or change what I say, I get the message "Your message looks like spam and was not sent". Very aggravating! I'm definitely not spamming anyone, and would really like to get in touch with her.

I was so glad to see you're running an HM, Kathy! Good luck, and I hope all goes well for you. I know you're going to do great!

I dropped off the Internet for a while, because training for my HM, the holidays, and my job were consuming all my time. My downtime was spent sleeping! But I did run the Phoenix HM, and it was a LOT of fun. I had some people I met there (one doing her first HM), so it was a really great time.

As for my actual race time, I ran it 4 minutes slower than my first HM, but I think I could have been a LOT faster. I stayed with my friends for the first 3 miles, and they were slower than I am. I made up quite a bit of time once I went ahead, but there just wasn't time to make it all up and beat my previous time. I was a bit disappointed about that, but the fun I had outweighed that.

Unlike my first HM, I felt great afterward with just a bit of muscle soreness the next day. It was a much better overall experience. We are making plans for the Vegas HM in December 2010, and if I do that and Phoenix again, you get an extra award.

I debated doing the Pittsburgh HM here in May, but I decided to take a break from the longer runs and focus on speeding up my 5K time for a race I do every year. If the HM I did here in Pittsburgh in November is held again, I will do that too. Otherwise, it's going to be shorter distances until Vegas in December.

Thanks to all that supported me while I was here! Sorry I didn't participate more, but it was be on the computer or be on the road or treadmill. That's a big change for me, which is why I never did an HM before. That's a good thing!

Great, Matt! I felt like the 20 min. run was the biggest step in this program. It's 99% mental, and once you get past it, nothing will stop you!

I started with C25K (for something like the 3rd time in my life) last February, and I ran my first half marathon last November and my second HM just last month. It's a great springboard to get you going to whatever your goal is.

There are some good definitions in this Cool Running article and it can give you some ideas of different things you can do to improve your speed.

I did my first tempo run last week. The method I used was to take my 5K time and run a little slower than that. For me, that was 5 mph since I have run my most recent 5K at 5.2 mph. I ran about 10 min. easy, then did the tempo portion for about 20 min., then another 5 min. easy.

Fartleks really make runs more interesting. I always enjoy those days. I like intervals too. It feels good to push like that.

Running more won't improve your speed. It will just make you able to run more at the same speed.

I think some weight training can help, but if what you really want to do is run, and you don't have a lot of time, I agree with Mike, forget weight training and run. If you're interested in longer distance running, there is research to support doing core training (sorry Mike), but I don't think you need it for a 5K distance.

I run MUCH better when I'm lighter! I'm focusing on that more than anything for my next half marathon in January. It will decrease the wear on my body immensely. Much less force from the pounding. The muscles don't have to work as hard to move, so they are able to move it faster.

I think you're doing great on all fronts, Kathy!

Yikes, Kathy! How am I going to compete with that? Great job though!

Welcome, AJ and Craig!

I will run my first timed 5K this weekend to see what progress I've made. I don't know that it will be 3.3%, but I'll try!

Thank you so much, Pat! Congrats to all the losers so far this week!

Last week: 193.5
This week: 194

I wasn't sure what would happen, because I'm not using the same scale, since I'm out of town. I hope this one is weighing me heavy, and I'll have a good loss next week, but looking at my track record, probably not.

Nice job, Iris and our other winners for the week!

I really need this, so add me to this list. I have my second half marathon in January, and it would be so much better for me to lose weight for that. Carrying around all this mass was tough during my first half marathon at the beginning of this month.

I'm sitting in a hotel room in Washington DC right now. Will be back home tomorrow night. It's been a rough week with eating out, but I have done quite a bit of walking, and my training is still on track. I have to get my eating under control more than anything else though.

My neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks either. Mike, the only place you can really find any sidewalks around here, are in the city itself. I miss them!

I'll tell you the precautions I take, Darilyn, though the only break-ins in my neighborhood have been cars that were left unlocked.

Hopefully it goes without saying to run against traffic. You don't have to worry about what's coming up behind you. You can keep an eye on approaching cars and take evasive action if necessary. Some people just don't pay attention, but you won't know that if you're running on the right and cars are coming up behind you. Most drivers will give you a wide berth, but I have almost been hit by a rearview mirror once.

If you will be out early or late, wear light colors and a reflective vest. I have one of those flashing lights too. I don't run in the dark at all, but sometimes my run will keep me out until dusk.

I carry my cell phone in a case on my arm and before that in a pack I wore. It won't prevent you from danger, but it can come in handy, like when I was on a back road in a park and broke my ankle. I was able to call hubby to come get me. Hopefully you will never need yours!

I have thought about carrying mace, especially when I have done trail running in the woods. Haven't gotten any yet though. I'm in a generally safe area, but you never do know.

I have not been able to find any friends who will run with me. I think I will try a local running group though. That's something you might want to check into as well. You'll meet some people in your new home with healthy interests!

Let me know what you decide on the mace and how things go.

Were you working out up until you became pregnant? Pregnancy is not the time to start something too strenuous, but you don't have to remain sedentary, even if you were before.

If you were working out before, you can continue with what you were doing, but look for modifications, particularly for abdominal and some strength exercises. I've known people who ran all the way through pregnancy and just decreased mileage.

I did pregnancy exercise videos during mine. I had been doing aerobics classes and exercise videos before I became pregnant, so just switched to ones specific to pregnancy. That was MANY years ago now!

If you have not been exercising, don't discount walking. Walking can be as tough as you make it, and it's easy on your softened joints (pregnancy hormones loosen things up). You can look for pregnancy videos too. Check with friends or coworkers who have had children or look on Craigslist. Robin's suggestion of yoga and swimming are also great. My coworkers both did yoga during their pregnancies. Try to find a class for pregnant women if you can.

Congratulations and good luck!

Thanks for sharing, Alycia! What inspiring photos!

My rest days are scheduled too. I've had a problem with not taking rest days like I should when I really get going (sound familiar?), so I schedule them. It's usually Friday, but if I have to swap it, I do.

Long Run: 5.63 miles - 1:10:33 hr.

I was supposed to have a 6 mile long run today, and I thought I had it mapped out, but I messed up. Turns out it was only 5.63. I could have added a little loop to bring it up to 6 miles, but it's been a tough week after my first HM, and this is my third day in a row of running. I decided that was enough.

I am quite happy tomorrow is a stretch and strengthen day! Plus, I'm headed to Washington DC tomorrow until Friday, so the easier day will work out better with the travel. I will be keeping up on my training while away!

Pace Run: 3.62 miles - 43:50 min.

I'm shooting for a 12 mm HM for my second one, so I came pretty darn close to target there without having a way to judge how fast I was going.

I took my rest day this week on Thursday instead of Friday, so Friday was 3 miles and strength. I didn't do both, because of work and not having enough time. I really have to plan these things better. I don't think it's a good idea to let the strength go. Since this program has more running days, I think in the future I will opt for strength over running if I don't have time for both.

Friday's run: 3 miles - 36:02 min.

I have a 3 mile pace run today. I don't have a good way to keep track of my pace outdoors. I don't have a Garmin, and my iPhone doesn't like all the trees and hills here. I'll do my best to estimate and see what happens.

The rower is a perfect complement to weight training. You get an intense workout that doesn't take a lot of time.

Yeah, I'd give it a couple weeks before you worry. I've had insomnia issues my whole life. Stressing yourself out over it will only make it worse. I bet once your body is used to the adjustment in training, you'll be sleeping more regularly again.

Hi Debra! You are in a great location for a healthy, active lifestyle! Look into some local activity groups, which will help you get moving more and meeting some people who will support a healthy lifestyle. There is lots of great info here too that will help you get on your way.

Welcome back, Jessica!

The sooner you learn to fit exercise into your life, the better. It only gets harder, especially as you gain experience in excuse-making. I'd recommend planning your days to include your workouts, since you're so busy.

Find some topics that interest you and post. You'll find plenty of friends!

Lots of GREAT numbers this week! Great job to all of you!

I, on the other hand, have remained the same, despite eating really well the past week and running 13 miles on Sunday. What the heck?!?!? Next week better be good.

Last week: 193.5
This week: 193.5

Welcome Jessica, and Lyla too! I agree with Rachel that you have to educate yourself first. You have to know what you're doing before you can do it. So learn and ask questions. There are lots of great resources in the people and posts here! Look forward to see more from you both!

Nice to hear Higdon's program worked so well for you, Ivan! I think I might modify it some too, but so far, I am just following it as it is.

Today was the first tempo run I have ever done. I had to watch myself, so I wasn't pushing too hard. I really need to get a new battery for my heart rate monitor. Seemed to do OK though.

Tempo Run 30 min. + 5 min. warm-up/cool-down
35:00 - 2.78 miles

Round 2 begins! This time I'll be following Hal Higdon's Intermediate program unless I find it gets to be too much, and then I'll drop back to the Beginner some days.

Today's prescription was 3 miles. I took it really easy and incorporated walk breaks, which I typically wouldn't do for a 3 mile run. Since I just ran an HM two days ago, I thought it might be a good idea not to put anything.

With warm-up and cool-down I did 3.5 miles in 43:44.

Amazed that I got down to 38:32 (from 39:52). Feeling really chuffed with myself.

Wow, Jane! Keep that up, and you've got this one in the bag!

Great first time! It all depends on you what you do now!

I try to run another 5K every couple weeks when doing the challenge and post my time. You can try some training to help you improve your speed. Different people have different methods. Are you a regular runner?

For me, I'm training for my next half marathon, so I'm just going to see what happens rather than focusing specifically on improving my 5K time.

Thank you all! Being a part of this group is a big reason I even thought I could do this in the first place.

Mike, I think you're going to be holding onto that reminder for a very long time! But who knows, right?

Oh, and I got my official time, which was 02:45:52. Only 67 people finished after me, but I wasn't last, which I had prepared myself to be!

Thank you all SO MUCH for your support!!! It really helped me get out of the car this morning when I was sitting there all by my lonesome and worried about doing this first half marathon. I posted my race report separately.

Now it's on to training for Phoenix!