I have to admit that some mornings I have trouble saying that. Yes, I've improved immensely. And yes, I can now run 28 minutes without stopping to walk, which is an absolute miracle. And let's not forget the sense of accomplishment is probably the most rewarding thing I've ever experienced. Really, no kidding. But I just haven't gotten to that point that I can say I'm actually enjoying myself. The feedback I get from other runners is that I may never get to that point. Turns out it's a giant conspiracy; nobody actually likes running. They just like the benefits. I'm ok with that because I'm seeing some of those benefits and I like what I see. Like the 5 lbs that I lost even though I'm really not eating that much better. The increased energy and improved muscle tone is also nice. And how about walking up a flight of stairs or a hill and NOT sucking wind. Very nice.
So, have there been any negatives? A few, but the positives far outweigh them. I overdid it in week 7 and my knees got sore so I took a week off, but that's common and not a big deal. Of course, my wallet's a little lighter after buying custom fitted running shoes for myself, my wife and my daughter. Then again, show me another sport or activity that you can get away with as cheap as running. And really the only other negative has been the accountability this blog has created. My patients keep asking me about my progress so I couldn't quit if I wanted to.
Because of my knees we're going to redo week 8...three runs of 28 minutes with no walking (besides the warm up and cool down). Week nine will be our last of the Couch-to-5k program which will consist of three 30 minute runs. After that we'll continue as part of an exercise routine but we'll focus more on increasing our speed. I'm really not sure that I need or want to run more than 3 miles. Nor do we have any aspirations to compete in a formal 5k event. Then again, things change and after reaching our goal a new target might be nice for motivation.
Check back next week as we wind up the challenge. It may have taken longer than 9 weeks, but we stuck with it and are in the final stretch. I would encourage anybody who thinks they just can't be a runner to follow in our steps and take the Couch-to-5k challenge. I can't emphasize the point enough...if I can do it anybody can do it.
Feel free to leave comments and/or questions...your participation is appreciated!
