Sunday, January 20, 2013

Couch to 5K, Day One

Today I did Day One of the Couch to 5K running plan. Although I did 25 minutes, not 20, just because of the route I chose. And I did a 5 minute walking warm-up and 7 minute walking cool-down. (The whole thing was 2.7 miles. Yay, GMap pedometer!)

But, oh-my-goodness! It didn't kill my knees! I've tried on and off in my adult life to use running as a regular part of my exercise routine and my knees always complain.

But this time, they didn't.

It makes me hope I might get to be a runner after all.

I really hope I can. It's such an efficient exercise, and you can do it outside. I love being outside. Sun and sky and trees = happy Jess.

I think every time I've tried before I've pushed too hard. This time, I'm following expert instruction and trying to do it right. And maybe it won't work, but I've a better shot at it, I think, if I rely on a proven method like this.

Oh! and also! every time I was running I was actually running not just jogging. The 90 seconds walking in between every 60 seconds running was just enough recovery to let me actually run when I was running. And going . . . well, not fast, but at a decent speed is definitely more fun that slowly plodding along. Which is what's happened to me before when I've tried to run the whole time.

I might not be able to really do this plan whole hog till it gets a bit lighter, just because of child care issues. But maybe I can modify it for weekend use, or do some of it with Adam when he's home. (He's interested, and we figure we can go to a park and run around the kids while they play on the grass.)

Anyway. Yay! running! <-- and="and" for="for" me="me" new.="new." p="p" s="s" something="something" that="that">
-Jess

4 comments:

  1. I'm going to have to check into this. While I don't have any ambitions to do a lot of "fun runs," I wouldn't mind training for one.

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  2. Yeah, I'm not sure whether or not I'm going to do any kind of fun run at the end (if I get to the end!). I really just want to be able to get up and go run for half an hour if I've the mind, you know?

    But I'll admit that doing one of those "mud runs" is REALLY tempting. :D

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  3. There was one close to our home in December, and I was definitely considering it. But then I realized that I would likely NOT do any of the needed training and came to my senses. I think I have to train first BEFORE I make such a commitment.

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  4. There was one close to our home in December, and I was definitely considering it. But then I realized that I would likely NOT do any of the needed training and came to my senses. I think I have to train first BEFORE I make such a commitment.

    ReplyDelete