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Couch to 5K Accountability Thread
A Wet Helmet:
About a year ago, my wife and I started going for a walk once or twice a week. After a few weeks, we tried to run "just a little." At first, we would pick a mail box maybe 100 meters away and we'd run to it. Then we'd have to walk for several hundred meters before trying again. After four or five times of doing that, we just wouldn't run any more. I'd be winded by the time we were done with our walks.
A couple of weeks ago, I ran a half-marathon.
13.1 miles (21 Km) of pure run. It was fantastic. I'm going to run my first full marathon this fall.
There is no great secret to running. Just run until it sucks, and then keep running.
Get up the next day an do it again, only further.
I have some pretty significant lower body injuries that have kept me from running for years. I found out that by doing a little reading on what good running form is, and then concentrating on actually doing it, it put a lot less strain on my body. I also found out that the shoes all the 'experts' recommend to correct the gait problems inherent in my injuries actually made things worse. Now I wear shoes that don't try to force my feet into unnatural positions and I accept that I have a different foot strike with each foot. I've also learned to pay attention to my body and learn the difference between "this sucks" and "this hurts!". If it sucks, keep going. Sucks is good. Running through what sucks is what makes you better. When it really and truly hurts, I stop running. In fact, five days before my half marathon, I ran less than two miles because I was in pain and didn't want to risk aggravating injuries. I rested, I iced, and when it was time to run for real, I felt great.
As kind of a "born again" runner (I ran a lot through the 90s, but quit when I got hurt), I hope that everyone gets off their butt and hits the street once in awhile. No matter how slow you're going, you're still kicking the ass of everyone who is sitting on the couch. Stick with it!
Redball:
W3R2: Technical problem: Didn't plug in the earbuds sufficiently, didn't recognize it until 6 minutes in, took some extra jogging as a penalty. Weather issue: Temp was 48F when I woke up, 57 when I started out in shorts and T. That was too warm in a morning sun and little breeze. Leg problem: I shuffle-jog, and realize that it's a slow pace. I tried lengthening the stride, and felt it immediately. Something to work on.
But WTF: I'm alive!
--- Quote from: A Wet Helmet on 05 Jun 2012, 14:55 ---About a year ago, my wife and I started going for a walk once or twice a week. After a few weeks, we tried to run "just a little." At first, we would pick a mail box maybe 100 meters away and we'd run to it.
--- End quote ---
Does anyone remember doing something like that in childhood? I can recall walking on the sidewalk down a tree-lined street at the age of 8 or so, hearing a car coming up behind me, and running as fast as I could to get to yonder tree before the car did. It was suddenly Extremely Important, a matter of Life or Death.
Barmymoo:
I challenged myself to run an extra bit a couple of runs ago by first running to a lamppost, and then after a bit of walking running to the point where I cross the road. It's a good motivator to make some extra effort.
I'm considering going out for an extra run tonight, maybe week 3 run 1.5, because I just accidentally ate a litre of cheap mint choc chip ice cream and I'm weighing in tomorrow.
Redball:
Accidentally. A litre. Ice cream. Awesome! One minute it was in the container, the next it was inside me and I don't know how it got there ....
I understand, and I understand that I can't make fun of anybody. I can lose weight as long as I'm feeding myself, but when I'm away from home, I'm in trouble, and the last few days have been a real clusterf***. Friday: Happy hour at a friend's home, and the invitation, for wine and snacks, came after I'd eaten and had a glass of wine. Saturday: The neighbor's potluck picnic for their Scottie club. Monday, the same neighbors have invited me to dinner once a week since my wife died. There was still a lot of ice cream left. I might have had a pint. And the pork tenderloin was delicious. Tuesday, a wedding reception down the street for an honorary granddaughter. My weight hasn't seemed to suffer much through all of that, but I'm holding my breath.
lepetitfromage:
--- Quote from: Redball on 06 Jun 2012, 07:47 ---
--- Quote from: A Wet Helmet on 05 Jun 2012, 14:55 ---About a year ago, my wife and I started going for a walk once or twice a week. After a few weeks, we tried to run "just a little." At first, we would pick a mail box maybe 100 meters away and we'd run to it.
--- End quote ---
Does anyone remember doing something like that in childhood? I can recall walking on the sidewalk down a tree-lined street at the age of 8 or so, hearing a car coming up behind me, and running as fast as I could to get to yonder tree before the car did. It was suddenly Extremely Important, a matter of Life or Death.
--- End quote ---
I still catch myself doing this from time to time!! :-P
Re: weight gain- I didn't want to post anything for fear of jinxing it, but I'm down about 8 pounds since we all started and I've definitely had a few dietary missteps- specifically at a wedding over the weekend...and that whole bottle of wine on Monday night.
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