couch to 5K

So, somewhere along the way my friend Heidi and I got the idea that we were going to do the couch to 5K program from beginning to end. This coming from me was a miracle in itself. I was never an athlete. I never could run the track in gym. Couldn’t even make it once around (1/4 mile) before I was so out of breath, heart racing and legs burning. But, I decided I had to do something to get into some kind of shape- a shape other than fat blob.

The app starts you off nice and slow with walking more than running (you run in 60 second intervals, then 90 seconds, then 3 minutes, then mixing between 3 and 5 min runs, then 8 min, then 10 min, etc) and ends up with 30 min of running. In a row. In the beginning I couldn’t run that 60 seconds without feeling like I was going to drop dead. By the end of the 9 week program (which was probably more like 12 weeks as I didn’t always do it 3x each week) I could run 30 min straight. Very, very slowly and with difficulty, but I still did it. And by the end of the run I look like a giant red stewed tomato. I will never be that girl- the one who’s all pretty and glowy and put together when running. I’m a frizzy haired, dripping sweat, panting, red like going to have a heart attack at any second faced mess. But at least I did it.

So even after all that, I still don’t like running very much. So for now I decided that I’m going to stick with the running, but not for 30 minutes. I’m going to go back to the intervals for a while and maybe work on my speed cause I’m soooo slow. Like, people walking fast could pass me, slow. I’m figuring that between the run/walking 3x a week and the pilates, something’s gotta work. And for those of you who have asked, there is NO actual 5k in my immediate future. I haven’t decided if I’m ever doing one or not, and I’m only up to about 2.25 miles in 35min so I still have a waaaaaays to go until I’m there.

I know a lot of people followed my status updates on the couch to 5K on Facebook and a few have started it themselves, which is awesome! Glad that I was able to inspire someone else. And thank you to all of you who sent encouragement my way during this couch to 5k journey. Big thanks especially to Heidi who got me started and pushed me along the way as we did the program (sorta) together, to Karen, Dean, Val, and Eileen who always wrote something encouraging. And of course to John who kept telling me I was doing a good job.

Oh, and I promised myself that if I finished the program I would buy some new running sneakers so yesterday I did- a new pair of Saucony’s that I got at Runners Stop in Lynbrook. Hoping that those will help with the shin splints I’ve developed in my left leg. It’s always something…