Running Beyond Myself

A few weeks ago I weighed in over here about my ongoing, seemingly endless and somewhat embarrassing battle/journey/longing to lose weight. At that time I had downloaded to my phone the Couch to 5K app, which tracks and encourages my walk/running time. The plan requires about 30 minutes a day – 3 times a week. I had completed week 1 – which was pretty simple, walk for 5 minutes, then alternate jogging for 1 minute and walking for a 1/2 minutes for 20 minutes, then walk for 5 minutes and you’re done. That seemed simple enough and I did it. I not only did it 3 times that first week, I did it 5 times that first week.

The second week only stretched me to 1 1/2 minutes of jogging and 2 minutes of walking for a total of 21 minutes with a 5 minute walk on the front and back end of that. Not bad. I also did that workout 5 times that week. I was so proud of myself – because at week 2 I was not motivated at all. I would do ANYTHING to avoid getting on the treadmill – including the dishes, cleaning the fridge, cleaning up dog poop.

I’m gonna be honest – the 3rd week scared me. After a 5 minute walk to warm up, it was to jog for 1 1/2 minutes, walk for 1 1/2 minutes, jog for 3 minutes, walk for 3 minutes and then repeat that whole thing. I had to jog for 3 minutes – twice!! Double what I had been doing! What the heck! What happened to jogging 2 minutes? Straight to 3, really?! I doubted my ability to keep my legs moving and continue breathing for 3 minutes at a jogging pace. I was beyond amazed when I did it. It wasn’t pretty, I was so out of breath when I finished that first 3 minute jog, but I had done it! And then I did it again. And I did that workout 5 times on week 3.

At this point I was still very, very unmotivated, but I was determined. It was my resolve to do this that eventually got me on that treadmill for those 5 days – 2 days more than required by the plan.

Then I saw week 4’s plan – walk for 5 minutes, jog for 3, walk for 1 1/2, jog for 5 minutes, walk for 2 1/2 minutes, and repeat. Jog for 5 minutes – twice. Oh my goodness. This I was sure I was incapable of doing. No way. Maybe I should stay on week 3 for one more week. But I didn’t. On Monday of this week I moved on to week 4. It was amazing to me that 3 minutes of jogging suddenly wasn’t the wall in front of me – it was that 5 minute mountain. The 5 minutes were really taxing me – so I slowed down my speed by 1/10 of a mile and it made all the difference. I was still winded, but I was doing it. And I did it 4 times this week.

In one week, 3 minutes was no longer the challenge – in fact I’ve upped my speed by 1/10 of a mile per hour for those 3 minutes, and I’ve left my 5 minute job at the slower pace. (3 minutes = 4.9 mph, 5 minutes = 4.8 mph. I’m certainly not claiming to be fast, I just put this on there in case I have any local friends who may find themselves compatible for an outside run/walk as it warms up here…IF it warms up here!)

Next week starts me off with 3 five minute jogs separated by 3 minute walks (after the 5 minute warm up of course). I’m not afraid of that. Although the work out on day 2 of next week I see is 2 eight minute jogs – that scares me. Once again I am not confident of myself – just being honest. (I’ll need some really great music blasting in my ears, that is for sure!) Day 3 of week five brings a 20 minute jog. 20 MINUTES. Oh. my. goodness. I should not have looked ahead. I sit here shaking my head, confident that won’t happen. (I should probably believe in myself more – have more of The Little Engine that Could mentality – but for right now – as I look to next week’s workout plan, I truly do not feel confident, or have a belief that my body will go for 20 minutes. Just being real.

I’ll check in at the end of next week and write about how I did. Even if no one cares, that’s the beauty of a blog, I do write for others, but sometimes I also just write to record a snippet in my journey that I want to remember.

The point of this post was to claim that I am stronger than I thinkĀ  I am.
That will be my motto next week as I attempt an 8 and then 20 minute jog.

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