Thoughts at 5 days into C25K

First let me say, “Whew!”

I simply can’t believe I’m running.  I’m 41 years old, and while I’ve done a lot of walking (30-60 mins almost every day since 2004) and hiking in that time, I’ve done very little running.  Even when I played sports, I was defense and there was still little running.  However, this is the first time I’m sitting down and doing running for the sake of running.  Had you asked me if I’d be running a year ago, I’d have said, “No way!”  But here I am doing it.

Simply put, I’ve been inspired to do this back in January when I [p2p type=”slug” value=”cheering-adventures-at-the-disney-half-marathon” text=”watched friends run the Disney Half Marathon”], but I really didn’t realize it until more recently.  On that very neat, and very emotional day, I caught a bug, only it took a few months to settle in and take hold.

And with discussion, some coaxing, and a recommendation by my good friend Katie, I downloaded the C25K app for my iPhone. And here I am, running.

My first observation is that running isn’t as easy as it looks.  I sort of figured that mind you.

My second observation is that running sucks.  Not in a bad way, mind you.  But there’s really no other word I have to apply to it yet.  It makes you feel really good, but not until after it’s over and you’ve come down from doing the actual running.  I figure this will shift and change as time goes on.  But right now, to me, running is an evil beastie.

My third observation is that the C25K app is brilliant.  It’s based on the Couch-to-5K running plan, and it’s designed completely with human psychology in mind.  And it trains you in a way similar to how you train a dog – release & reward.  The walks, at least right now, are rewards for completing the runs.  The bells are Pavlovian in nature.  It’s genius, there should be some sort of reward for that cunning a design, seriously.  I completely know that the program is playing me like a fiddle, but I buy into it and just push myself to complete it.

I’m in the middle of week 2 right now.  That’s a 5 minute walk, followed by 6 90 second runs separated by 5 2 minute walks, then a 5 minute cool down walk.

When you reach that cool down you feel so good.  The walks in between are a mixed bag.  Right now for me runs 1 & 2 are great.  3 blows completely.  4 is when the adrenaline starts to kick in.  I completely forget the 5th run.  And the final run my mind is simply going “Gedderdun!”

I will stick to this plan as some day I’d really like to be in a Disney race even if it’s only a 5K.  That is my plan.

And for you doubters out there, if this 41 year old, overweight, desk jockey can do it, you can too.