couch to 5K

Week 5, Day 3. The end of the fifth week. The start of something incredible: my ability to run a couple of miles without stopping to walk. OK, so it’s more like jogging. We’re not setting any records here. Today’s 2-mile run took us about 27 minutes. Part of it was up hill.

The butterflies were dancing in my gut when I woke up this morning. Not since the first day when we’d set out on this quest have I felt so unsure of myself. As it would happen, the route we ran today was the same one we ran the very first time we trained. That day we walked much more than we ran, and I remember when we finished, I thought I was going to throw up. My lungs burned. My legs hurt.

Today, when I passed the same point where I’d felt that five weeks ago, I encouraged myself with those thoughts and pressed on. I really have come a long way since then. At the end of today’s run, I was breathing hard, but not so hard I couldn’t talk to Phil. My legs found an extra boost for the last stretch, which was also downhill, but still, they weren’t giving out on me. I felt good, and again, I couldn’t believe it. I keep expecting to hate what we’re doing, to want to quit because it’s too much. Instead, after each milestone, I want to keep going, face the next challenge and conquer it.

Now that the first 2-mile run is behind us, we’re committed to registering for the 5K, making it official, no backing out.

This is a crazy, amazing journey. If you’re at all interested in exercise, I recommend this plan 100 percent. It’s gradual. Each day is doable. I’m a reformed running-hater because of this plan.

Thanks for cheering us on! I can’t wait to see how this all ends.

Week 5, Day 2. Tiredness took over before we even hit the street this morning. Low to mid 40s when we loaded up the jogging stroller. Our session called for two 8-minute runs with a 5-minute walk in between. The first 8 minutes, I willed myself to not look at the stopwatch too soon, and when I did, nearly five minutes had passed. I was so encouraged that the next three minutes passed pretty quickly. The second 8 minute-run, however, not so much. I looked at the time too early, so the remainder sort of dragged.

But once again, at the end of the run, I felt good physically. So, looking ahead to our next training session, the 2-mile no-walking day, it’s not a matter of knowing my body can handle it; it’s convincing my brain that I can do it. We’re fast approaching the time when we’ll lose the walking altogether. I’m scared, but I know if we don’t make this leap now, I won’t want to make it at all.

No turning back now.