5 Minutes {Half Marathon Training Check-In}

Training is going slowly, but is going. The Couch to 10K program is a three day a week program. My crazy schedule only allows me to regularly hit the gym twice a week, three if I'm lucky, but I believe that twice a week is better than none a week, and although the training is slow I am amazed at the stamina I am building, and excited about the pounds that have started dropping.

I started my program four weeks ago today, and since day one, have been dreading week four of the program. Couch to 10K is an interval program, and each week of the program includes three days of the same interval training. Here's what I've done so far:

Week 1 - Run 60 seconds, walk 90 seconds, 20 minutes total

Week 2 - Run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, 20 minutes total

Week 3 - Run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes, 18 minutes total

Today began week four - run 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, run 5 minutes, walk 3 minutes, 22 minutes total. It's the five minutes I've been dreading since day one. Five whole minutes of running. To those of you who truly are runners, this is nothing to you, but for someone who has never ever been a runner in her entire life, five minutes of running sounds like five miles...it scared the crap out of me.

And I kicked it's ass.

There is something that happens when you are running and you know you are going to meet a milestone. It's like that first week, on the second day when I was in my last run and didn't stop once during the any of the intervals - I wanted to stop in the middle of the track and do cartwheels and shake my booty to the Rocky music in my head because I DID IT. That's how I felt today. That's how I felt after my first five minute interval when I was beaming like an idiot on the treadmill and the old lady next to me probably thought I was losing my mind. It's how I felt at the end of my second five minute interval, when even after my phone had gone flying off of the treadmill at the poor old lady (don't worry, it missed, and I seriously need some wireless headphones), and I didn't use that as an excuse to stop - rather, I just kept an eye on my timer clicking away on the phone on the floor, stupid smile still on my face.

That first week when I could barely run 60 seconds I wondered how I could ever run for five minutes.  Today I giggle that 60 seconds was so difficult for me. I still wonder how I will ever run for 13.1 miles, but I have to remember that small goals lead to big goals.

I can't wait until I can laugh out loud that I could only run for five minutes, but today I'm going to be pretty proud of myself for meeting this little-big goal.

So Then I Decided to Become a Runner...

There is only one reason I am writing this blog post. Not because I want to shout to the world that I've suddenly found this desire to go to the gym and start running, but because if I put it in words, and announce it to the world (it doesn't matter that only like 10 of you will read this), I will have to do it.

I've decided to run a half marathon.

I'll wait while you finish your giggling. No really, giggle away.

I've always hated running. HATED IT. We used to have to run for a full five minutes during cheering practice and I thought I was going to die. A few weeks ago though, I decided to join the gym. I had no intention of running at this gym, just simply using the elliptical and doing some weight training like I did before my wedding (and haven't done since). But one day the ellipticals were full so I thought I could probably suck it up and run a few laps around the track to warm up. It wasn't awful. I didn't want to die. I'll go so far as to say, I kind of liked it.

A few days later (with no further thoughts of running crossing my mind), I was stalking a friend of mine on Facebook (come on, you know you do it), and found her photos from the Disney Princess Half Marathon last year. It looked so fun and festive, and I realized that for some crazy reason, I wanted to be a part of it. Something weird happened in my weird little brain, and I decided to start training. I downloaded a version of Couch to 10K (actually it is 10K Free and it rules), and have started training. I'm on week two, so not far in, but for a girl who hated running, the fact that I have been fitted for running shoes, have purchased the appropriate running shorts, and have woken up many times in the past week excited to get to the gym and run, says a lot.

The Princess Half was on Friday and again the pictures were filling my newsfeed. I've got 361 days to be able to run 13.1 miles, and it just might take me that long to actually be able to do it. But now that I've announced it to the ten of you out there, my training is official. Feel free to send encouragement..and ice packs.