Couch to 5K

Thank you to my mother for posting my last blog entry to her FB profile, and one of her friends commenting about it there.  Wondering who this woman was, I then looked at her profile and sawshe was a fan of the Couch to 5K FB group.  Wow, what's that I wondered.  So a few clicks later I had found an avenue to running the 5k I've got on my list for May 21st.  Here's where I found the 9 week plan, but there are many sites out there and people talking about it.  I found someone blogging their experience with C25k here.  I learned a lot by simply reading about the expeirenced of this first time runner. Keep in mind, I don't run.  I don't jog.  I despise running.  It makes my heart pound and my chest wheeze, and I don't have asthma.  But now I have found a nice plan to get me from the couch to the 5k in 9 weeks! 

Many of my friends, family and collegues are well aware of my dedication to the Breast Cancer 3 Day walk I've had over the past few years.  Especially aware of the long walks and blisters I've endured training for the 60 mile event.  Luckily, running is not even allowed on the event so I've been walking and walking but never jogging.  Well, sometimes, because it's always been about getting the miles in, I would 'try' and jog so I could get done quicker and off my feet, but that would last about 3 houses, maybe, on a good day.  So I ate and walked my way through continued weight gain each year.  Part of my new found strength has included determination to be able to run.  Why?  Because I can't do it.  Because it's a good calorie burn.  Because I wanna be able to run away from someone chasing me.  While looking for classes at my local YMCA I saw a 5K event back in December and decided I would do it.  It is a Strong Kids Campaign that they host on May 21st in Wyandotte, Michigan.

I started trying to run (keep in mind, run=jog, it's all the same to me) on the treadmill for a few seconds at a time.  I'd watch the clock and got it up to .10 mile and would be dying, breathing too hard and slow it back down.  I was convinced that I couldn't do it and my body makes me stop.  I did get up to .15 mile a couple times but that was tough.  I'm a running wimp!

One night while watching the Biggest Loser, I watched them make all the contestants run for 5 minutes.  I said to myself, if they can all run for 5 minutes, then I MUST be able to do it also.  Afterall, many of them were much heavier than myself.  Sure, they're on the tv show and all but they're still doing it and so could I.  So I got on the treadmill, warmed up, increased the speed to a run, decided to watch the time instead of the distance, and 2-3 minutes in was the same thing as usual..........I was dying....couldn't breathe and quit.

The next day at the gym when I was with my trainer I asked her why I couldn't run.  I was trying to figure out if it was in my mind, or real.  We usually work mostly on balance and strength training but today she reminded me to be careful what I wished for.  Yes, she dragged me on the treadmill.  After warming up, I did 2 1/2 minutes without a problem.  I felt good, we stopped.  We went onto other activities but again at the end of our session she took me back to the treadmill.  This time she said I was going to run for 5 minutes. Yikes!  She slowly increased the speed until I was running.  And 2 1/2-3 minutes I was done and had to stop.  Instead of focusing on the time I didn't make, she forced me to focus on what I DID do. She made me repeat it, "I ran today".  So yes, I did run.  She reminded me that I was breathing, my legs were moving and I was running.

The next couple weeks I would do the same thing on my own at home and try again to run for a few minutes but mostly fail each time.  We tried again at the gym a couple times but haven't really done too much with running.  I guess each time I must be running stronger but I still feel like I'm gonna croak any second.  And that whistle that starts up after a few minutes is scary.  So after the stair climb last week, my wonderful trainer, Mary, put me back on the treadmill first thing.  This time after my warm up I ran the 2 1/2 minutes, slowed it down and then I made the 5 minutes!!!!  All the way to 5 minutes!  I love it when I hit a milestone and 5 minutes of straight jogging was a milestone to me.  She assured me that I would be ready for the 5k in May.

I'm even more convinced I'll be ready now that I found this C25K program. I'm so excited about it.  I created a spreadsheet with the schedule in an easy to read format and it totally looks doable.  I shared the program with my 18 year old son last night and today he told me he already started the first day of it.  He said he'll run it with me.  How fun!  He's never been a runner either so this will be fun.  I'm encouraging others to join me and hope that some do.  I hope I can talk my husband into too.  We'll see.  My goal is to finish the run, and preferably by being able to complete it without having to walk any of it.  I know I'm strong willed and determined.  So with this awesome new web of resources for preparing, I'm sure I'll have this thing whipped!  I don't see myself ever being a true 'runner' but this 5k run is surely a goal to help me continue breaking barriers of what I can and can't do when I put my mind to it.  I will soon no longer be a running wimp!