As you probably know I'm doing the Couch to 5K running program. Last night I finished week 6. There were a couple of extra weeks in there where I was sick and it was Christmas and there's just no way I was running on my birthday as well so let's just say I've been running for 6 weeks cos I have.
So 6 weeks ago I started and it involved something like running 1 min then walking then running 1.5 mins and repeating that. And I found it hard. That's right...running for 90 seconds was hard. Part of it is that I'm unfit, part that I'm fat, part that I have something up with my heart but overall it was just bad. 90 seconds!
Last night I ran 25 mins without stopping. TWENTY FIVE MINUTES!! I've never done that long in my life. 3.68kms without a break or walking or anything. I am so stoked. I know it's nothing compared to other people but seriously, in 6 weeks I've gone from struggling with 90 seconds to running for 25 kms and not dying in the process.
At the end of the program I'll be running 30 mins which should be 5 km without breaks regularly.
Obviously I'm absolutely proud of myself and what I've done so far but there are other benefits too. Firstly my skin is way better than it was and secondly my heart doesn't get as sore. I had trouble yesterday biking home but I've found that if I breathe steadily and try and keep at a steady pace then it doesn't hurt or race too much. And by the time I've done the 5 min warm down it's definitely not racing any more. I did a test at the cardiologist last year and in 6 mins of running and walking my heart rate got to over 200 bpm so that's a huge improvement too.
Who would have thought that I'd actually enjoy running, I'd be able to do it, it would make my heart a bit better and improve my skin and if I'm lucky it might even help knock off some weight. Who knows!
So 6 weeks ago I started and it involved something like running 1 min then walking then running 1.5 mins and repeating that. And I found it hard. That's right...running for 90 seconds was hard. Part of it is that I'm unfit, part that I'm fat, part that I have something up with my heart but overall it was just bad. 90 seconds!
Last night I ran 25 mins without stopping. TWENTY FIVE MINUTES!! I've never done that long in my life. 3.68kms without a break or walking or anything. I am so stoked. I know it's nothing compared to other people but seriously, in 6 weeks I've gone from struggling with 90 seconds to running for 25 kms and not dying in the process.
At the end of the program I'll be running 30 mins which should be 5 km without breaks regularly.
Obviously I'm absolutely proud of myself and what I've done so far but there are other benefits too. Firstly my skin is way better than it was and secondly my heart doesn't get as sore. I had trouble yesterday biking home but I've found that if I breathe steadily and try and keep at a steady pace then it doesn't hurt or race too much. And by the time I've done the 5 min warm down it's definitely not racing any more. I did a test at the cardiologist last year and in 6 mins of running and walking my heart rate got to over 200 bpm so that's a huge improvement too.
Who would have thought that I'd actually enjoy running, I'd be able to do it, it would make my heart a bit better and improve my skin and if I'm lucky it might even help knock off some weight. Who knows!
