And thus it began, Now you are probably saying to yourself why didn't you start this blog then and ill be totaly honest, I wasnt sure I could stick with it even during my training mostly early on in the program where I wasnt sure I could make it, but if I have learned one thing about running its that its almost ALL mental, Your head will want to quit long before your body ever does. But I kept at it...
I will try to sum up my time with the Couch to 5K program as best as I can, I found the app to be the perfect intro into running there was never a time where I felt it pushed me more than I could give it. It lets you dictate how fast you want to go and just gives you intervals for when to walk and when to run. Early on you do much more walking than you do running, but slowly but surely the running over takes the walking and then the walking disappears. There was only ever 1 or 2 times where I couldnt finish a work out and that was do more to outside influences than anything else.
Before my first 5k
So after 9 weeks it was time to test myself and run my first 5k Race. Early on I had already signed up for the race so I had a target and a reason not to chicken out as well. I chose the Run For Wounded Heroes 5k in Kennesaw, GA because I loved the cause that it benefited (The Wounded Warrior Project). So the day came and I can say I was a little nervous but not alot, I knew I could run the distance, I never reached the full 5k in training but I knew I had enough stamina that I could do it as long as I kept my pace normal and not let the race crowd affect me, and that brings me to my first advice for anyone that decides to take this journey themselves, For your first race try to find a smaller local 5k, The one I chose had a very large crowd and I sort of felt lost in the crowd and had no idea where I should line up to start and actually got caught behind a lot of slower traffic at the begining but that was only a small issue. So I lined up the gun sounded and off I went and even though I was running by myself (no friends or anything with me) it still felt amazing and if I hadnt been hooked already this did it. As the the race ticked by I found myself both getting passed by others and passing people myself but I found none of that mattered I was out here for one reason really To prove to ME that I could do it. Ive heard it said before and I truely believe that the biggest competition for any runner is themselves. So as the race progressed I just zoned in and enjoyed the feeling of it all, having strangers cheer for you as you run by, knowing that you set a goal and you are about to complete it. And as I came into that last stretch I think I ran faster than I ever had before and then boom I crossed my first offcial finish line and did it in 31:28, well under my 35 minute goal. So now I was hooked I no longer had to convince myself to run (well sometimes I still did but for different reasons) now it was time to find my next race and set my next goal....
Crossing my first finish line
Post Race and offcially Hooked on Running
So as to not make this first post annoyingly long I will stop here for now, but stay tuned as the fun has only just begun...
