Okay, I’ve been trying to get this post written for a whole day now, though I’ve been trying to get a post written in general since like, last week. so I am determined to get this up today. TODAY. For real this time.
So since the last time I wrote about my jogging exploits, I was only a couple of weeks into the Couch to 5k program. Well, it’s been a month or so since then and I am still chugging along. While I did take some time off here and there as other things popped up along the way, I am quite pleased with my progress so far.
I have stalled a bit on week 5 but I am really excited about my potential. I really wish I had found this program a lot sooner [like, that first time I attempted a jogging program] but better late than never they always say. I love being outside and seeing the sights. It’s so much better than working out in a room, especially when it’s sunny. Plus, I have built in focus motivators when I’m starting to slow.
Just.make.it.to.that.second.trash.can.
The incremental increase has been a major ego boast along the way. I’ve found myself congratulating myself on meeting my daily goal and experiencing that ridiculously amazing “runner’s high.” The adrenaline just rushes through and suddenly you feel like you can do anything. That 2 foot ditch? Watch me as I fly over it. That phone book? I’ll rip it in half. Stuck underneath a flaming car? OMG! I CAN TOTALLY LIFT IT!
This week I was able to top my personal best and let me tell you, it was exhilarating. I didn’t run last week so I was resigned to the idea of simply running 8 minute sets in preparation of busting out my first 20 minute run later this week [that's week 5 craziness right there. Go check that program schedule]. Well, while I was well on my way to 8 minutes and decided to push it to 10 minutes because I felt pretty good. Next thing I know, I decide to just keep jogging and maybe try to make it to 20 minutes.
I didn’t make it to 20 but I did get to 15 minutes.
That’s 14 more minutes than I started out at [that had me huffing and puffing]. That’s more than I have ever ran for a consecutively extended period of time. I AM JOGGER. HEAR ME ROAR! Or as Lindsey experienced when I came home after climbing my personal Everest, I AM JOGGER. WATCH ME AS I SPAZZ OUT!
This excites me to keep working towards completing this program [and possibly move on to the 8k version]. There’s a 5k coming up in June that I would really love to run and am hoping I’ll be ready to participate. I’ve decided to use that as my goal to push me through the final few weeks of my C25k program. What a way to celebrate my new runner status.
| Week | Workout 1 | Workout 2 | Workout 3 |
| 1 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. |
| 2 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. |
| 3 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
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| 4 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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| 5 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking. |
| 6 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 25 minutes) with no walking. |
| 7 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes). |
| 8 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes). |
| 9 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes). | The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes). |
Hotlinking images is bad.