As I mentioned yesterday, I've signed up for my first 5K. It was spur of the moment and I'm hoping I respond to this challenge just like I did losing weight. If you recall, I signed up for a weight loss challenge at work in January 2010. It was completely unplanned and I was terrified of failing. The 5K isn't exactly the same because it is something that's on my bucket list. My ultimate goal is to be able to run one from start to finish. But I want to be realistic this first time out, especially since I don't run.
Obviously, if I'm not going to completely embarrass myself, I will need to be prepared. Training started today. A friend told me about an iPhone app, 5K Runner, to help me get started, so I immediately downloaded the free version. I didn't fully investigate the eight-week program, but I imagine it gets more intense as the weeks go by. Day 1 consisted of warming up for 5 minutes (I wasn't sure what that should entail, so I just walked), 1 minute of running followed by 1 1/2 minutes of walking for a total of 15 minutes, and then a 5-minute cool down (again, not sure what that meant, so I walked).
The first minute of running wasn't so bad. The second minute ended up only being about 55 seconds. I really struggled to complete a full minute each time, but I was close. And the fact that I even tried feels like success. I'm hoping it will get easier. The program calls for doing it three times a week. After today's 25 minutes, which was basically one lap around the park where I normally walk, I decided to walk an extra lap. I don't see any harm in that.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, that I have 8 1/2 weeks before the 5K. If I stick to the plan, I'd like to be able to run most of it and maybe I'll even lose a little weight by then as well. Wish me luck!
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