25 minutes

More then anything, jogging makes me feel like I'm really doing something to get in better shape.  C25K gives you such immediate feedback and motivation, when you can see how every session you've improved a little more and can go a little farther.

Tonight was 25 minutes and I was a bit worried.  My stomach got kind of tense every time I thought about it.  But I ate a great big salad to fuel up and told myself to try my best, and if that was under, it would be OK.

I think I'm going to start going out a little earlier if I can, because it was pitch black at my "usual" time.  Still at nighttime though, because there's something so incredibly peaceful about jogging alone in the quiet dark, just the wind and the trees and the soothing sound of random critters about.

I think part of it is that there's basically no distractions- hardly any cars going by or people out and about, just you and the road and one foot in front of the other.  It really settles my mind and calms me.  It feels like "me" time.

To be honest, I took it a little too easy in hindsight.  After hitting the 20-minute mark in Week 5, Day 3, I had really struggled in Week 6, Day 1.  I did better the next time out, but that was 10-and-10 so today still felt like it was going to be a pretty big leap.  I kept a very conservative pace, then finally sped up when there was only 5 minutes left, and ran for the last 60 seconds.

Next week does away with the walking intervals for good, and now that I know I can do it, I can and will push myself to try a little harder.

I use these MP3s.  I tried a couple different ones but I really like the girl who narrates these- she's very calm and super encouraging, and very clear about when to jog and when to slow down, etc.  Tonight she said, "You can call yourself a runner now!"  I won't because... I think of marathoners as runners, but it still gave me a huge smile.

I'm definitely more of one then I was before though, haha.

Tomorrow I have to deal with something that's been stressing me out for a while.  I should have done it already but... I let myself put it off.  Tomorrow, for various reasons, I'm finally going to confront it.  I've been preparing all day, but it was honestly my jog that really made me feel like I can do it.

Challenges are inevitable, but I want to be able to overcome them, instead of letting them overcome me.  I may not always succeed, but I feel like this journey is slowly getting me into stronger mental shape, too.  I have more self-esteem and willpower and while there are things that make me sad still, I would no longer describe myself as depressed.

That's really huge for me.  Depression, to me, is feeling powerless.  When I binged, it came from the same place- like the food was in control and stronger then me.  I no longer feel that way most of the time.  Today I was stronger then food.  Today I was strong enough for the run.

Tomorrow... I am strong enough for that, too.  It's not impossible, it's only uncomfortable.

Hope others had a wonderful, healthy, happy day.  Let's keep trying!

Exercise: Sweat 3/4 (cardio; 40 minutes), C25K, Week 6, Day 3 (jogging; 25 minutes plus 5-minute cooldown)
Eating: 1,114 calories; 5.5 quarts water