From 30 Minutes to 5k

We had four weeks from the time we ran 30 minutes without stopping until our first 5k. When we ran 30 minutes without stopping, we "only" covered 2.75 miles (which is 2.75 miles more than I used to cover sitting in my chair reading my book). So we had some work to do.

I told myself my goal was to just finish the 5k, but my real goal was to do it in 30 minutes. We used Hal Higdon's Training for your First 5k plan starting at week 5 until race day. I would go on Google maps and use the "distance measurement tool" on "mymaps" to find routes of the mileage we needed. This worked (and still works) out well. There is also a route calculator on the training log I use at Runner's World, but it didn't have all the streets in my neighborhood on it (fairly new neighborhood) so using Google worked better for me. The training log at Runner's World is great to track your workouts.

The workouts were hard but doable, and I was motivated by running the 5k in front of people I knew. Nothing like a little pride to keep you moving!

Learning to Run 30 Minutes

This was so much tougher than I thought it would be! The training program looked easy enough---I wish it were! I kept hearing that if I would be consistent, I'd be amazed at what my body would do, and that was right. So Jonathan and I stuck to the program until we finally completed 30 minutes. One of the first times I actually enjoyed the running was when we went on vacation to Chicago and got up each morning to run along Lake Shore Drive. I can honestly say that was the first time I didn't look down at my watch to see how much farther we had to go!

When we finally reached the 30 minute goal, it was not an "effortless" 30 minutes. I was huffing, puffing, aching, talking myself out of stopping until the 30th minute...but we did it! I love quotes, and this is my favorite one I found from when I was doing the 30 minute program:

"I run. At least, that's what I am telling myself. It's actually more of a "continued forward motion at a semi-consistent pace while praying I don't die" kind of activity."

From the Beginning

I am not a runner. I was a mediocre athlete in high school, playing basketball, running track, and even running cross country. I ran sprints on the track team and could only stomach cross country one year. I have never run for exercise. Now, I have gotten on the treadmill and done short walk/run segments, but a competitive, casual, or even "for exercise" runner, I am NOT.

I have never said even jokingly, "I'd like to run a marathon." Not a peep like that out of me. I'm more of a read a book for fun kind of gal. When I exercise (or if I exercise), it's the occasional aerobics class or treadmill session.

So why has this non runner decided to run? A couple of things got me in this predicament:

1. My friend Christine started running late last year. One night while we and our husbands were hanging out, Jonathan said he'd like to run a 5k sometime. Her husband, David, said, "you should". Now Jonathan loves to work out, but he's not much into cardio so I didn't think the idea would ever fly. He's an exercise junkie, and I'm not so much so we've been trying to find a form of exercise we can enjoy together (yeah, right--more on this in another post). I pulled up a training program on the web to help us learn to run 30 minutes without stopping and so it began!

2. My sister is a runner and quite possibly the most self disciplined person I know. She has ran in several events and mentioned not long after I started the beginner training program that I should run a half in Dallas with her. I said "no thank you", but it really got me thinking...could I do that?

3. Because I'm not-so-much-an-exercise-junkie, I'm not-so-much-in-shape. This means I'm carrying around about 20 extra pounds than I need to be and that I huff and puff when I shouldn't. I'd like to change that.