We decided to train using the Couch-to-5K training program. It's very easy to understand, and has come highly recommended by a few people in our circle of friends. After buying our shoes, and getting my husband Todd some running shorts, this past Sunday was going to be our "Day One" of training.
We woke up that morning, had a light breakfast, and set out to find a track. I really didn't want to run in our neighborhood because I'm a bit self-conscious and I am terribly afraid of people staring at me. (Yeah, Yeah...I know I'm crazy, and it's all in my head, but I have to be comfortable or this just won't work!)
We drove from Mint Hill to the YMCA in Matthews. They have a nice gravel track, but it had rained the night before so the track was too muddy. Ugh! We then moved on to Butler High School, and Independence High School. Both of these schools have beautiful tracks, but they were locked! What's up with that? My husband and myself are both Northerners...I'm a Philly Girl, and he's from Baltimore. Up North, when you want to go running, you find the closest school and head for the track. Well, that's not the case down here! Double Ugh! Thank God for my husband's Blackberry! We looked up a few places, and finally decided to head to Freedom Park.
For Day One, this program has you walking for the first five minutes and then alternating jogging and brisk walking for a total of 20 minutes...sounds easy, right? Ha! Not! At one point Todd circled back to walk with me and I asked him how we were doing...he said "we're only halfway there." Yikes! Seriously? I had to force myself to keep going, and I kept repeating "I think I can, I think I can" over and over in my head! Then something wonderful happened...I saw my husband stop. He was my pacer, so lo and Behold I knew that we had made it! We were wore out, sweaty, and out of breath, but we both did it!
We've been a little sore the past couple days, but it's a good sore! We agreed that it was definitely harder then we had expected, but that it felt great to say we finished! We also agreed that we were putting ourselves on a schedule and restarting day one. Our new schedule will start tomorrow, and have us running on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. A few friends have decided to join us, so I look forward to sharing our experience with you!
Stay Tuned to hear about the "Real" Day one!
(PS - I promise that all of my posts won't be this long! I apparently write like I talk when I get excited...which is a lot! lol)
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Far from long winded, they're actually great and very descriptive. I've always loved reading posts like this and the Disney ones you post. They make me feel like I'm really there!(Oh wait, I usually am...)
ReplyDeleteKris, my in-laws did the couch to 5k thing a couple of years ago. There are a set of podcasts you can download that combine music and the instructions if that helps. I recently started going to the gym and listening to music definitely helps keep me motivated.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dave...one of my Choir friends suggested the podcasts as well. I tried them, and it was cool, but I need to get an arm band to run with it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration. My husband and I are starting the program next week. I know I'll be in a similar boat come Monday. I know I'm not the only Big Girl going through it. :)
ReplyDeleteGood Luck witless! It really is doable...I can already feel a difference!
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