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C25K

OMG you guys, I’m running.

C25K is short for “Couch to 5K“, a beginner’s running program. It is designed to ease you into running, and after 9 weeks, you’re running 3 miles in 30 minutes.

I started the program after seeing that a few of my Facebook friends were doing it, and doing it successfully. On Day 1, I had less of a “LET’S DO THIS” attitude, and more of a “okay, let’s see how long I’ll last” frame of mind. Seriously – I haven’t run since high school gym class, and I hated it back then. Since high school I have been a walker, walking with and without dogs every day for the last 20+ years. Sometimes I sprint for a block or so with the dogs, but never any sustained running.

I really had no idea if I could do it or not.

So on the first day I was running around the track when the lady’s voice from my iPhone app said “Halfway”. I thought – hey! I’m doing it! I finished up the rest of the run, got home, and then they hit me.

Endorphins.

Runners High, “high on life”, whatever you want to call them. I HAD NO IDEA HOW AWESOME THEY ARE. They make the world seem like a sparkly, happy, perfect place. And they make me feel like I could leap tall buildings in a single bound. Crazy.

Today I just finished Week 2, Day 2 of the program. Here’s a photo of me right after my run, totally whacked-out on endorphins.

I refuse to face the camera without at least mascara and eyebrow pencil.

People I tell about my new routine always ask the same questions – any joint pain? Sore muscles? I’m happy to say that I don’t have any joint pain, and I only had sore muscles after the first couple of days. Instead, my old enemy plantar fasciitis has reared it’s ugly head. I’m stretching and icing my foot after each run, because I do not want this to keep me from my precious endorphins.

On another note, if you’ve been reading verypink for a while, you’ll remember Chris (my ex, now my friend). He’s now a “former corporate guy, who left ‘Big Oil’, sold his home, and is beginning a life-changing journey to Central America.” He’s in Guatemala now, and he’s documenting his trip on his new blog, The Experiential Traveller. I’m curious to see how much of a hippie he’s going to turn into over the next few months.

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8 comments on “C25K”

  1. Good on you! Sounds like you’re having fun.

    They should call it C23.10685M in America since you use miles.
    We use kilometers in Australia (and most of the rest of the world)so C25K makes sense.
    Just my giggle for the day. 😉

  2. Don’t worry about the mascara and eyebrow pencil; you are beautiful in your endorphin whacked out state. Congratulations and keep going!

  3. That’s funny, Vanessa. Yes, Americans have totally rejected the metric system, except when it comes to running distances. It’s really the only time we use kilometers!

    🙂
    S t a c i

  4. Make sure you have proper arch support, you can buy something called “a cookie” that goes in your shoe to give you proper arch support. A company called Road Runner has a little test you do to see what kind of shoes you need, very accurate. I use to have them something awful but with the right inserts, you could also try orthotics, it will clear right up.

  5. Wow! That’s awesome. I’m going to have to get me some of that ‘gumption’. hehe. Keep on keeping on!

  7. I went to Chris’ blog just in time to see the chicken video. I’m so happy to be a vegetarian 🙂
    Is it difficult for you that his basenjis are in Illinois? I know he couldn’t leave them with you long term (not without some serious daycare) but Illinois? The wind, the cold, the winter, the big parental dogs…etc.
    I admire your relationship with your ex. My exes just fall out of my contact list. I will enjoy Chris’ blog, I am sure. Though hopefully he isn’t doing a livestock slaughter tour of the world LOL.

  8. Thanks for the plug! It’s ironic that you are now running, and me, the former 1000 miler, refuses to run here because it’s so polluted! But my current town, San Pedro, is better than Antigua for that. As for the hippie thing, I went to San Marcos yesterday, a small town across Lake Atitlan from where I’m staying. San Marcos is described as a hippie town. I didn’t see too many hippies, but I did meet Muhab (formerly Richard but he changed his name after a weekend spiritual retreat). Nice guy but after meeting him, I am NOWHERE CLOSE to being a hippie!

    Keep running! Adios!

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