Week 2 Day 2 (Couch Potato to 5 K)

This morning I woke up and am definately feeling the effects of our run last night.  Everything from my knees down is sore.  Sean said it may be shin splints, I'm not sure.  I am down 4 pounds now, which I'm thrilled about! Since I'm exercising I thought I'd probably better eat healthier to. lol  The two seem to go hand in hand. 

This week we are running 90 seconds, and then walking 2 minutes for 20 minutes.  It seems almost easier then last week, however, I am dreading next week a bit.  Week 3 I will be running 3 minutes then walking 90 sec.  I know I am really out of shape.  To some of you that probably sounds like nothing.  Hard to believe in only 6 more weeks I should be running 45 minutes non stop!  It'll be interesting to say the least.

My friend decided to join us yesterday.  Though she is not actually running with us, she is doing her treadmill at her home.  Super proud of her!  She was pretty excited when she texted me this morning.

Tomorrow we will do it again, and so Week 2 will be complete.  I think of where this could all lead to, and it's pretty exciting.  The most important thing though for me still is to be healthy and active for my family.

Day 3 / Week 1 Complete on Couch Potato to 5 K

This morning I woke up and one of the very last things I wanted to do was run. For scheduling purposes we decided to do a morning run instead of an evening time one. I always thought of myself as a morning person, however I suppose that's when I'm in my house drinking a cup of coffee, not on the track.

I knew going out it was going to be difficult. I was sore from the run we did Thursday night, and my head was threatening to have a headache coming on. Luckily for me, I have Sean, who today was the coach who pushed me to do something I didn't want to. Accountability is a good thing! My anticipation of a hard time became reality. By the time we ran half way around the track on our first lap I thought I may die. of course, then you're thinking if I feel like this now, how in the world am I going to do this four more times?

I was surprised it actually got a bit easier by the time I was done. It requires some focus and determination, but I am proud to say that the first week of this program has been complete.

When I got home Sean showed me a video that he had watched last year when he started running. It was so inspiring that I wanted to share it here. It's about a man who was extremely overweight and one day he decided to run. Then the next day he decided to run again, and again and again. You'll have to watch it to hear his story and see the finished result.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbXgQqbOoU

It's hard to believe that this time last week it hadn't even entered my mind to run. Don't ever under estimate the power of a thought that comes to your mind suddenly. It may just change your life.

Running Day 2 (Journey from being a Couch Potato to Running a 5 K)

When my husband started running last year he would come home and tell me how relaxing it was. I thought he was crazy! How could running 3 or 4 miles, sweating profusely, and cramping be relaxing? I got a taste of what he was talking about last night. I'm still only at 1 mile, and that's walking half of it, but being outdoors and seeing the beautiful colors of the sunset WAS so relaxing - even though I was sweating profusely and cramping!

I feel as though I am breaking through barriers in my life. Things I never thought or even cared to do. I was sharing w/ Sean this morning that not one time in my entire life have I ever ran 2 miles. To think that in a few short weeks I could possibly be doing that is awesome to me! I know I am still at the "exciting" stage, and that it's ONLY day 2, but I have made a commitment to do this, and write about it, and so today I am excited of the possibilities.

Couch Potato to 5 K - Something New

When was the last time you started something new? We were driving in our car on Sunday morning heading to church when my husband nonchalantly mentioned he was going to start running again. Earlier in the year he had began running consistently, and even participated in the annual Pear Blossom 10 Mile Run. But, summer had come, vacations were happening, and he hadn't been running in a couple of months. When he stated that he would be starting up again the next day, that is when it happened. I popped off with the comment, "maybe I'll go with you." I thought he may have to pick his jaw up off the ground.

Let me explain...I am NOT a runner. If anything, I am the opposite. I even went as far as faking a knee injury in High School so my Mom would write me an excuse to not have to run the "Huff and Puff", a mile and a half run they did on Fridays in P.E....for 4 years! Pathetic, I know, but true. I don't know why I said I would join him, but I did, and so now here I am on a journey. It's called the "Couch Potato to 5 K" journey.

This really is a plan. It's a 9 week plan that claims to take someone like me, 3 days a week, and ease them into being able to run a 5 k which is 3 miles. I am not doing this necessarliy to lose weight, though that will be a benefit. I am doing this mainly because my family has expressed concern that if I don't exercise there is a high chance of me becoming immobile the older I get. At 37, I already am faced with issues like stiffness, sore joints, back problems, etc. In 20 years from now, they want to see me healthy and active, and I just began to realize that so do I.

Day 1 is complete now... I did it, and it wasn't that bad. I am sore and moving a bit slowly, but I am very excited to pursue this. I plan to write through my journey, not to get "pats on the back", but because it keeps me accountable. I loved having Sean there with me, he is a great coach. It also helped having Bruno Mars blaring through my Ipod singing "girl you're amazing, just the way you are"! lol

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml