Run a 5k race

Once it warms up I have to start in on this goal again—Like I can really blame the sub zero temps for my laziness! There’s an indoor track five blocks from my house.

Regardless, I was talking with a friend today, someone I never considered in particularly good health, not out of shape mind you but not a health nut by any means. He took up a bit of running last year mostly to cope with stress. Previously he walked 6 to 8 miles and he found that wasn’t doing it for him any more. So he started running as far as he could, then walking. He ran his first 5K last July 4th and then ran a couple more. I think he said that he still hasn’t run one the full way, that he’s always had to walk at least some of the course. Though I “knew” on some level that it would be OK so walk, it felt wonderful to hear.

The pattern was 90 seconds of jogging followed by 120 seconds of walking. I went roughly a mile and a third in that time and I did it after a full day of work which is the bigger acheivement. Even though I’m running in good shoes on a rubberized track, my knees are sore. Not enough to stop me; just enough to whimper about a little.

I’m going to start training for a 5K. I was so tempted to say there’s no way I could do it before the snow flies but then I remembered the local “Turkey Trot” around Thanksgiving.

If I follow the 9 week “couch to 5k” training plan found here:

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

I should at least be able to finish the thing. I’m tempted to put down my money for the race NOW so I’ll feel obligated to run. Or better yet come up with some really kick ass reward for myself if I see this thing through.

So at 7:00 AM tomorrow, I’m out there on the streets.

That I have just added the goal “run a mile without stopping” on the same list that includes “Run a 5K race.” I’m so out of shape!

And such a dreamer!

To give you an idea of how out of shape I am currently, I am actually training even to COMPLETE a 5K run. Currently I can and do walk 3.1 miles in a little less than an hour. I haven’t gotten back to running in quite awhile but even at my most recent “peak,” I was only able to run about mile before I had to walk to catch my breath. I know, I know: there aren’t any rules that I can’t walk parts of the race until I recover. But that’s a little pathetic, isn’t it?

I still have to learn to pace myself. Any tips on that? I was considering one of those heart-rate monitors. Any suggestions?