Saturday
May012010
Couch to 5K = Complete!
Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 08:03PM
Today I finished the Couch to 5K running program. That's right, I so did it! When I introduced the fact that I was going to try this, I fully expected that I might not actually get through it. But today, during my last run of my last week I ran five kilometers in 35 minutes and I didn't stop or slow down a single damn time. Boo to the yizzeah! And I actually did it in 9 weeks! I feel like there's a lot to say about the last nine weeks, so if all you care about is the fact that I finished... I finished! If you want to know more, here you go:
Running: The Beginning
I'm sure I did a lot of running around as a child, and there may have been the occasional mandatory two-minute run in freshman gym class, but I haven't actually done any running in my adult life. It sounded awful to me, miserable, stupid even. But at some point many years ago I thought maybe a good life goal would be to run a 5K. The thought lingered in my mind for awhile and was eventually shelved. I figured I'm not a runner and there are better ways to spend my time and energy. And that was that. Until a few months ago.
Why I Started Couch to 5K
When I told the Giraffe I wanted to do this, he didn't take me very seriously. Me, the anti-runner, suddenly wants to run a 5K? Come on. But somehow I got this crazy idea in my head. It was more about wanting to set a goal and attain it than it was about anything to do with fitness. I liked the Couch to 5K program because it has incremental goals, it works you up slowly, and it lays the whole thing out for you. I think much of the reason I kept going is my somewhat Type A personality. I had to stick to the schedule or the world might end! Even when I didn't want to, I had to run when it was on the calendar - if I didn't it would eff my whole schedule up and then my whole life would fall apart!
Early Days
The first few weeks were ok. The actual running was pretty minimal, so even when it was hard, I was comforted by the fact that the running increments were short. The weather often didn't cooperate, which made it really difficult to force myself into running clothes and out to the trail. If I was going to quit, it was during these weeks that I'd do it. Not because it was the hardest, but because it's easier to quit at the beginning. It's like reading a book. Once you're half way through, you feel like you just need to push through to the end, even if it's bad. First few chapters though? Much easier to quit if it sucks.
Later Days
It was about Week 5 when I really started to struggle. On the third workout, suddenly I had to run 20 minutes straight and it scared the crap out of me. And it was hard. I will not lie to you. It was hard and it sucked. A lot. These last four weeks have been a real struggle. I was so busy, and it wasn't easy to find time to run, and I never wanted to do it, and the whole time I was actually running, I wanted to be done. Yuck. I did not love it, and it took all the Type A personality I could muster to stick to that schedule.
Thinking, thinking, thinking
My biggest struggle while running is my brain. This is what it thinks while I run: "God this sucks. How long has it been? When can I stop? I wish I was almost done. How much longer? Running, running, running. I'm running. I have to run so far. I wish I was done. I can't wait until I'm done running. How much further do I have to run?" I've heard about people who just get into a zone, but I have never come close to that zone. I wish I could think about other things, distract myself, but all I do is think about how much longer until I can walk. I'm a multi-tasker, and the only thing I can do while running is run. I listen to music, but it does very little to distract me.
Podcasts
Speaking of music, just before I started, I heard about the Couch to 5K podcasts on Nicole's site. They count down each time you have to switch from running to walking or vice versa so you don't have to pay attention to time, but they were full of a lot of hip hop, which I grew tired of. In the last three weeks, I switched to Suz's podcasts. She gives time updates throughout, along with encouraging words, which is nice.
What (I wear and use), When (I find time), Where (I run)
When it was still cold, I wore yoga pants, a t-shirt, a thin hoodie and ear warmers. Now that it's warmed up, I wear running capris and a tank top with "wicking technology." I wear this sports bra (in green!) and these shoes, too. I use an iPod Nano with an arm band, and the solution to my earbud problem was found in some 99 cent earbuds much like these. They stay in my ears nicely! Recently, my friend Michelle surprised me with a Nike + iPod sensor, and it's amazing. You stick the chip in your shoe (mine is in one of those tiny plastic bags that come attached to clothes and hold extra buttons, and wedged into the laces of my right shoe), and the other part into your iPod. After some setup, it tells you how far and long you've run, how many calories you've burned, and what your pace is. I highly recommend!
I run twice during the week after work, which usually sucks. By the time I leave work and drive over an hour home, all I want to do is eat dinner and chill. Instead I have to jump into running clothes, stretch, run, stretch again, and shower, all before eating dinner. When the Giraffe had class every night until 9, I was too hungry to take the time to prepare anything by the time all that was over, so I usually ended up eating cereal for dinner. Weekends are much better. Once in awhile I even looked forward to a run on a nice Sunday morning. It didn't feel so crammed in and forced. Oh why can't every day be a weekend?
There is a railroad-track-turned-paved-trail right behind our apartment where I run. It's convenient, and it's all flat! But it also gets really boring because there's never anything new to look at.
A Couple Lessons
Stretch and drink water. Duh and duh. But I learned the hard way with both of these obvious rules. After I injured a muscle or two, the Giraffe looked up some proper pre- and post-run stretches for me. Turns out it's really important to stretch after a run when your muscles are warm. Yeah. Also, kind of essential to drink lots of water. I didn't really do that, and last week I got dehydrated and had a five-day headache and generally felt awful as a result. Drink. Water.
Results (or lack thereof)
Like I said, I didn't do this to get fit or lose weight. But I thought that might be a nice side effect. I thought I might also have more energy during the day and sleep better at night. But the ONLY difference I have seen is that now I can run 30 minutes at a time, whereas nine weeks ago it was about 60 seconds. I have no more energy, I don't sleep any better, I haven't lost an ounce, and I don't feel any more fit. I can run further and longer, that's about it. I'm thrilled to have reached my goal, but I'm bummed none of that other stuff came with it.
My Saving Grace
I was pretty sure I wasn't going to continue running after the 5K I signed up for (my ultimate goal) because if the ability to run was the only benefit of running, and if I kind of hated running, I had no reason to continue. Then the other day I ran with Michelle (of Nike + iPod fame), who has run half marathons and is getting back into training after having a baby. She ran at my pace, nice and slow, but when we got done, she gave me some advice: start as slow as I finished. I would always start out strong (for me), maybe a 10 minute mile, and wear myself out, which is why I felt like dying by the end. So today I started slow and stayed slow. My target was between an 11 and 11 1/2 minute mile, so I kept checking my Nike chip to make sure I hadn't sped up or slowed down too much. And it worked! I felt good while running for the first time EVER. I had no doubt in my mind that I could keep it up for 30 minutes, and as I said above, I kept running for 35 minutes until I had reached five kilometers. I got back to the apartment and the Giraffe said he could tell I felt good and had a much better run than the one earlier that week. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy. I was sweaty, my legs hurt, there was heavy breathing, but I felt steady and strong and confident. It was an epiphany really. Thanks Michelle.
The Riverbank Run
The 5K race I signed up for is in a week, May 8. I never doubted I'd cross the finish line, even if it meant walking the majority, but now I know I'll be able to run this damn 5K. May not be a great finish time, but I will run a 5K. I will! It helps that this thing has become a family affair. Not only is my sister Emily running with me as planned, but now my sister Andrea wants to unofficially run with us, my brother (not a runner) and sister-in-law signed up (before they knew we were!) to run it, and my dad is skipping his usual 25K to run by our side. Plus the Giraffe, Em's fiance, and maybe some other family members are going to cheer us on from the sidelines.
I know there are people out there who run 3 miles like they're going for a stroll, but this is a big accomplishment for me. And when my little Nike gadget told me I had hit 5 kilometers today, I was incredibly proud of myself. I am honestly one of the least likely people to have done this, ask those who know me well, so it's pretty fucking amazing I made it this far. I won't say that I'm a changed person, I'm not a converted runner, but I feel pretty damn good about reaching this goal.
Running: The Beginning
I'm sure I did a lot of running around as a child, and there may have been the occasional mandatory two-minute run in freshman gym class, but I haven't actually done any running in my adult life. It sounded awful to me, miserable, stupid even. But at some point many years ago I thought maybe a good life goal would be to run a 5K. The thought lingered in my mind for awhile and was eventually shelved. I figured I'm not a runner and there are better ways to spend my time and energy. And that was that. Until a few months ago.
Why I Started Couch to 5K
When I told the Giraffe I wanted to do this, he didn't take me very seriously. Me, the anti-runner, suddenly wants to run a 5K? Come on. But somehow I got this crazy idea in my head. It was more about wanting to set a goal and attain it than it was about anything to do with fitness. I liked the Couch to 5K program because it has incremental goals, it works you up slowly, and it lays the whole thing out for you. I think much of the reason I kept going is my somewhat Type A personality. I had to stick to the schedule or the world might end! Even when I didn't want to, I had to run when it was on the calendar - if I didn't it would eff my whole schedule up and then my whole life would fall apart!
Early Days
The first few weeks were ok. The actual running was pretty minimal, so even when it was hard, I was comforted by the fact that the running increments were short. The weather often didn't cooperate, which made it really difficult to force myself into running clothes and out to the trail. If I was going to quit, it was during these weeks that I'd do it. Not because it was the hardest, but because it's easier to quit at the beginning. It's like reading a book. Once you're half way through, you feel like you just need to push through to the end, even if it's bad. First few chapters though? Much easier to quit if it sucks.
Later Days
It was about Week 5 when I really started to struggle. On the third workout, suddenly I had to run 20 minutes straight and it scared the crap out of me. And it was hard. I will not lie to you. It was hard and it sucked. A lot. These last four weeks have been a real struggle. I was so busy, and it wasn't easy to find time to run, and I never wanted to do it, and the whole time I was actually running, I wanted to be done. Yuck. I did not love it, and it took all the Type A personality I could muster to stick to that schedule.
Thinking, thinking, thinking
My biggest struggle while running is my brain. This is what it thinks while I run: "God this sucks. How long has it been? When can I stop? I wish I was almost done. How much longer? Running, running, running. I'm running. I have to run so far. I wish I was done. I can't wait until I'm done running. How much further do I have to run?" I've heard about people who just get into a zone, but I have never come close to that zone. I wish I could think about other things, distract myself, but all I do is think about how much longer until I can walk. I'm a multi-tasker, and the only thing I can do while running is run. I listen to music, but it does very little to distract me.
Podcasts
Speaking of music, just before I started, I heard about the Couch to 5K podcasts on Nicole's site. They count down each time you have to switch from running to walking or vice versa so you don't have to pay attention to time, but they were full of a lot of hip hop, which I grew tired of. In the last three weeks, I switched to Suz's podcasts. She gives time updates throughout, along with encouraging words, which is nice.
What (I wear and use), When (I find time), Where (I run)
When it was still cold, I wore yoga pants, a t-shirt, a thin hoodie and ear warmers. Now that it's warmed up, I wear running capris and a tank top with "wicking technology." I wear this sports bra (in green!) and these shoes, too. I use an iPod Nano with an arm band, and the solution to my earbud problem was found in some 99 cent earbuds much like these. They stay in my ears nicely! Recently, my friend Michelle surprised me with a Nike + iPod sensor, and it's amazing. You stick the chip in your shoe (mine is in one of those tiny plastic bags that come attached to clothes and hold extra buttons, and wedged into the laces of my right shoe), and the other part into your iPod. After some setup, it tells you how far and long you've run, how many calories you've burned, and what your pace is. I highly recommend!
I run twice during the week after work, which usually sucks. By the time I leave work and drive over an hour home, all I want to do is eat dinner and chill. Instead I have to jump into running clothes, stretch, run, stretch again, and shower, all before eating dinner. When the Giraffe had class every night until 9, I was too hungry to take the time to prepare anything by the time all that was over, so I usually ended up eating cereal for dinner. Weekends are much better. Once in awhile I even looked forward to a run on a nice Sunday morning. It didn't feel so crammed in and forced. Oh why can't every day be a weekend?
There is a railroad-track-turned-paved-trail right behind our apartment where I run. It's convenient, and it's all flat! But it also gets really boring because there's never anything new to look at.
A Couple Lessons
Stretch and drink water. Duh and duh. But I learned the hard way with both of these obvious rules. After I injured a muscle or two, the Giraffe looked up some proper pre- and post-run stretches for me. Turns out it's really important to stretch after a run when your muscles are warm. Yeah. Also, kind of essential to drink lots of water. I didn't really do that, and last week I got dehydrated and had a five-day headache and generally felt awful as a result. Drink. Water.
Results (or lack thereof)
Like I said, I didn't do this to get fit or lose weight. But I thought that might be a nice side effect. I thought I might also have more energy during the day and sleep better at night. But the ONLY difference I have seen is that now I can run 30 minutes at a time, whereas nine weeks ago it was about 60 seconds. I have no more energy, I don't sleep any better, I haven't lost an ounce, and I don't feel any more fit. I can run further and longer, that's about it. I'm thrilled to have reached my goal, but I'm bummed none of that other stuff came with it.
My Saving Grace
I was pretty sure I wasn't going to continue running after the 5K I signed up for (my ultimate goal) because if the ability to run was the only benefit of running, and if I kind of hated running, I had no reason to continue. Then the other day I ran with Michelle (of Nike + iPod fame), who has run half marathons and is getting back into training after having a baby. She ran at my pace, nice and slow, but when we got done, she gave me some advice: start as slow as I finished. I would always start out strong (for me), maybe a 10 minute mile, and wear myself out, which is why I felt like dying by the end. So today I started slow and stayed slow. My target was between an 11 and 11 1/2 minute mile, so I kept checking my Nike chip to make sure I hadn't sped up or slowed down too much. And it worked! I felt good while running for the first time EVER. I had no doubt in my mind that I could keep it up for 30 minutes, and as I said above, I kept running for 35 minutes until I had reached five kilometers. I got back to the apartment and the Giraffe said he could tell I felt good and had a much better run than the one earlier that week. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy. I was sweaty, my legs hurt, there was heavy breathing, but I felt steady and strong and confident. It was an epiphany really. Thanks Michelle.
The Riverbank Run
The 5K race I signed up for is in a week, May 8. I never doubted I'd cross the finish line, even if it meant walking the majority, but now I know I'll be able to run this damn 5K. May not be a great finish time, but I will run a 5K. I will! It helps that this thing has become a family affair. Not only is my sister Emily running with me as planned, but now my sister Andrea wants to unofficially run with us, my brother (not a runner) and sister-in-law signed up (before they knew we were!) to run it, and my dad is skipping his usual 25K to run by our side. Plus the Giraffe, Em's fiance, and maybe some other family members are going to cheer us on from the sidelines.
I know there are people out there who run 3 miles like they're going for a stroll, but this is a big accomplishment for me. And when my little Nike gadget told me I had hit 5 kilometers today, I was incredibly proud of myself. I am honestly one of the least likely people to have done this, ask those who know me well, so it's pretty fucking amazing I made it this far. I won't say that I'm a changed person, I'm not a converted runner, but I feel pretty damn good about reaching this goal.
in Family, Friends, Giraffe, My anatomy, Work it out
Family, Friends, Giraffe, My anatomy, Work it out
Reader Comments (5)
Good for you! Inspiring.
Congrats!!!
Amazing! I'm proud of you for doing it. Especially knowing how much you've despised running.
There are some very good ideas in here that will help me when I start this too. I'm a big cheater though when it comes to things like this. The 20 min stretch would scare the hell out of me too and I fear that I might cheat and walk a minute here or there.
The five day headache resulted from lack of hydration. I didn't even think of that. I'm constantly harping on My Friend about drinking water because he's always getting headaches.
I'm excited for you to run the 5K. Can't wait to hear about it. Good luck and congrats!!!!
Way to kick ass, lady!
And you definitely hit the brain thing on the head. I KNOW running is such good exercise, but damn, the combination of boredom and pain is just excruciating. I think that's why I like the Wii Fit so much; it's a good distraction.
[...] whole time I was training for the 5K, ten weeks in all, I felt pretty good. I had a few strained muscles, but nothing that prevented me [...]