C25K

 

In June, I will be participating in my fifth mud-run.  This one, The Muck Fest, benefits MS. It is the third Muck-Fest that I will have participated in.  I run the Muck-Fest with a team from work.  One of our coworkers lost her husband to MS last year and this year we will be running in memory of him.

I use the term, “running” loosely.  I actually am not much of a runner.  I love to walk and exercise but running has never been my thing.  I have been able to complete all five mud runs, but  have never been able to run the whole way.  I usually do a combination of run/walk and the obstacles thrown in throughout the way break up the running.  This year, I would love for it to be my goal to run the whole way.  Will I do it?  Who knows, but I figured by writing it here in my blog, I have put more pressure on myself to at least try harder!

A few of my friends have had success with the Couch to 5k program.  I have thought about trying it out for a few months now, but the weather has really prohibited me from attempting it.  Today, I decided to try it.  It is a free app so I had nothing to lose.  I haven’t walked all winter so getting out there today wasn’t easy.  The idea behind the program is this:

It’s a gentle introduction to getting the body moving, starting off alternating between walking and running small distances, and slowly building up until after 8 weeks, you’re ready to run 5 kilometers or 30 minutes non stop.

Prior to this miserable winter, I had been able to walk a brisk four miles nearly everyday so I wasn’t worried about the stamina, but the running part was what was holding me back.  I downloaded the app this morning, grabbed my iphone and left my house before the kids even woke up.

Day One Week One:  A thirty minute walk that included mostly walking with one minute intervals of running.  The goal is by the end of the program, (nine weeks,) I will be able to run non-stop for 3.1 miles.  Today, that doesn’t seem like it will be possible, but I will take it with baby steps and see if I can get there.  I am not sure what made me decide that today was the day to start, but when I sat down and counted the weeks to see when the nine weeks ends, it brings me right up to the week before the Muck Fest.  How perfect is that?!!?

So, the goal I have set for myself is to do this three days a week.  I have to carve out the time in my schedule. Weekends always seem like the perfect time to start something and then reality sets in and work and family schedules come into play and get in the way during the week.  It is thirty minutes three times a week.  I am going to find a way to do it.  I am committing myself here with the hopes that it will keep me from giving up.  I will have to check in once in awhile so you can see if I have stuck to it!  I can’t wait to be able to tell people “how easy it was,” and not preface everything with, “I am totally NOT a runner!”

Tagged: c25k, couch to 5k, i am not a runner, Muck Fest, mud runs, never give up, obstacle course, running