It's Been Awhile...

Midsummer here in the desert. Hot, as you can imagine. Humid, as well, due to monsoons, which are a good thing here. The monsoons could be better, but they have been pretty good so far.

I'm about to begin Week 8 of the Couch to 5K plan...am now running/jogging 25 minutes at a time, but starting tomorrow (Day 1 of Week 8) I will be upping it to 28 minutes. Week 9 is the last week of the program, so I'm almost there!! More importantly, I have persevered, have become more fit and strong, and have grown in ways that can only be experienced when one challenges their physical abilities. I am very happy and, yes, pleased with myself!! I want to run. Crazy, huh?

Next up, committing to running a 5K. There is a local one in October, but I'm thinking of holding out for one in Tempe in early November. I've got friends doing that one, so it may be a better choice...something to share with friends, and experiencing the camaraderie of digging in and doing a real 5K. My husband will be there, as well, cheering me on and helping me to stay focused. He has been great, and is very proud of me...the wife he always referred to as being the most lacking in physical/athletic abilities. He has regularly been asking me "What have you done with my wife?" (joking, of course), as well as giving me kudos and lots of encouragement.

All this happened because I got on the treadmill one morning after hearing about this Couch to 5K thing, and figured it could be easy. After that first day, I was hooked. Me. The woman who grew tired when just hearing others talk about running. The woman who previously wanted to be as far from running as possible. The woman who was satisfied to just walk (rather slowly) on her treadmill and call it exercise. The woman who would choose reading over moving every time.

I AM A RUNNER.

Gasping for Air

I recently began participating in a training program called Couch to 5K. It is meant to get people up off the couch and moving...presumably able to run/jog a 5K in 9 weeks. Keep in mind, I've never wanted to be a runner, or a jogger. I did try jogging a bit a few years ago but ended up in pain due to some bursitis on one of my hips. So, no jogging for me (I declared happily!). I had been walking fairly regularly on the treadmill, but nothing strenuous, mind you. Then, one day a niece (Amie) of mine mentioned on Facebook this Couch to 5K (C25K) and I went to investigate. Turns out, what I read sounded doable, so I got up from my chair and got on my treadmill and did Day 1! Hmmm, easy and yet made me feel like I did something. And so it began. Without even having a desire to do anything like this, I was hooked. C25K leads one into jogging/running very slowly, increasing jog/run time very gradually over 9 weeks. Now I'm well into Week 2 (W2), having accomplished Week 2, Day 2 (W2D2) on the treadmill. This morning I decided I would like to try doing this outside, so my hubby got up early with me and we were out there by 5:45 a.m. hitting the pavement. He was so encouraging and stayed with me instead of running ahead (I'm a slow jogger/walker). A few times he mentioned that a slight hill was coming up (You're going to be going uphill soon!), and also would tell me how much time I had left to my jog (20 seconds left!). These things distracted me and made me feel like I was dreading doing it...I don't want to know I'm heading up a hill no matter how slight it is! I don't want to know how much time I have left to this jog interval that is causing my thighs to hurt and my lungs to almost burst! Just listen for the ding sound on my phone app and THEN I'll know it's time to walk again. I ended up apologizing to him for telling him to stop saying those things...he was truly encouraging (for the most part) and a great guy for staying with the weak and asthmatic wife of his, even though he could have run circles around me even while I jogged. Literally. Guess I'll have to get outside at least once a week in order to get into shape for a 5K sometime in the future. Early morning will have to do since here in AZ the day heats up and the sun becomes brutal early.

So, I have no idea how or why I am now in the midst of training for a 5K...but I am and I'm gonna stick with it! Wanna join me?