Well, I actually just finished Day 3 and have decided I am definitely going to blog this experience, which I had considered, but didn't think I would really do (and I may not continue)...Now, I'm going to backtrack and record some thoughts leading up to today.
Since the end of last year, I have been working out regularly for the first time ever. In researching workouts and weight loss information, I saw several training plans for starting runners. I thought they looked interesting, because they start out so small/slow and build so slowly. I kept bouncing the idea around in my head, but didn't see me ever getting around to it, as I was barely squeezing in my workouts anyway...and, more so, I have never been a runner. I tried, for a bit in college. I actually got some decent shoes and ran pretty regularly, but never got any joy out of it at all.
I've also been reading other people's blogs (I've been very bored this year) and one in particular is this girl who is doing a couch to 5K training program. That is the type of program I had seen previously, with the gradual increases - the idea being that someone who has never been a runner can run a 5k in 8-10 weeks (depending on the website you use). Her blogs are funny, sometimes painful, but definitely make running sound a lot more pleasant than I've ever considered it.
The final moments leading up to me deciding to run went something like this...after working out regularly since December, I abruptly stopped around April 20th. A week later, I worked my last day, abruptly, at my job. Two days later, I decided that I would either sit around in total unemployed depression, or I would find something to focus on. And since I no longer had any form of an "I don't have time" excuse, it was settled. I'm going to be a runner. (And a thief, totally stealing my friend in the Netherlands' idea..although she blogs about all sorts of thoughtful things, and I plan to use this for tracking my running pretty exclusively!)
So that was Friday and a few things had to happen before I strapped on my running shoes and ran a marathon. First, remember those shoes I got in college? I still have one of them. It's in great condition, what with me giving up running pretty quickly, and the loss of the other one. I keep assuming it will turn up, and as they were expensive and barely used, I refuse to A) Get rid of the lone shoe and B) Buy new shoes - because it will turn up eventually! Second, I had to find out just what a marathon was.
So, over the weekend, I did some research. I know there are 5Ks all the time, but it doesn't appear that there are any between Mother's Day and October around here. Oh, and the one in October is a 10K. So, I knew a marathon was 26 miles and an absolute ridiculous concept, but what is a 5K? It's 3.1 miles and they're usually run in about 30 minutes. Well, if I can do that in 10 weeks (you know I went with the longer training program), why couldn't I do a 10K in October?
How about, why would I ever WANT to run 6.2 miles?! Well, it's the only race on my radar for one thing. It's also part of the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival in Columbia, which I am mortified to say we haven't attended yet. Oh, and they're going to have musicians along the route, and the prizes involve wine. I'm just saying, if I'm going to be a runner, jazz music and wine is the carrot in front of my nose. So, heck yeah, I'll be ready, I'll do a 10K in October. (Remember, friends, I still have one shoe and am now winning wine at a 10K in five months.) Let's check out the course. Holy leg cramps, Batman, does that say you are going to be running up Providence hill, by the football stadium!? You've walked that, dear, and it was one of the worst physical experiences you have had. And it took like an hour. You are not going to be in the RNBNBBQ10K.
OK, so, fine. Skip ahead to Monday. I have no race to plan for, but seriously these things happen all the time, so I'm pushing ahead. I have to focus on this. I have errands to run in Columbia on Monday, so I head over to ye olde Shoe Carnival and pick out some cheap running shoes. I tried on several pairs, and was running up and down the aisles testing them out..this was exhausting. This is never going to work out. Oh, did I mention I opted to not wear socks for this event? Yep, always thinking ahead, but never thinking about socks. I did the best I could, and headed out with my shiny new shoes.
My errands took me downtown, where I happened upon a parking space so quickly and, gratefully so large, that I had no choice but to snatch it up. I was parked right across from Get Lost Bookstore (my favorite name, ever) and vowed to stop in there on my way back to the car. There was a cart of $1 books outside the store, and wouldn't you know it? Running for Dummies, written by Flo-Jo herself was on the cart.
I read pretty much the whole book on Monday (I admit it, I skipped the 16 page color photo tribute to Flo-Jo), and armed with a new pair of shoes, proper stretches and a training program that started out with only two minutes of running, I couldn't wait to go on Tuesday!
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