11 weeks ago, in an extremely unhealthy state in my life, I started running. Thank the LORD I had my great friend Sam to do it with me or I may have never stuck with it!
This was taken probably around week 4(ish)...
I had days where I DID NOT want to go. The only reason I did was because of Sam and her motivation.
Even though I didn't want to do it, I was ALWAYS soooo happy and proud after each run!
There are several different Couch to 5K programs and ours started small...very small. We needed that. We weren't even going much more than a mile for the first few weeks. We would run for 60 second stints with a few minutes of walking in between. I remember when we started having to run 3 minutes straight...it seemed impossible. Then, we went 5 minutes straight and we were HUFFING AND PUFFING and hurting BAD! Then, we went 8 minutes...WHAT?!?! That's when the 3 minutes was like nothing...like a blink! We were so proud and getting stronger every single run. We were dedicated and determined to proving to ourselves that we could do it. We have consistently gone 3-4 times per week rain or shine.
I started finding myself in the "active wear" section more often and found that investing in weather appropriate gear was imperative in making my running experience more enjoyable. I actually know what I prefer to run it. Dare I say that I am a runner?! I am. We are. We are runners...and I can fully feel it and know it now. I feel guilty on days I don't run. I look forward to it. We may be slow and we may have a lot of improving to do, but we are runners.
I love the time I have running. Once we get in our "zone" (usually around 1 mile), we are able to talk to one another during our runs...we even laugh sometimes...we even take the harder, hillier routes sometimes, just because we know we can.
And once I took my picture WHILE running...this was at about mile 1.5 in week 5 or 6. I am still smiling. And I remember that run actually...it was my best one yet. I felt like I could go forever! Isn't it funny how runs go that way? One day you just can't get into your groove and it's miserable the whole way, when the exact same distance and weather conditions the next day, it seems so easy like you could go an extra 3 miles! Crazy how that goes.
EVERY TIME we finish a run, we say the same words and we give each other a high five...every time! "I am SO PROUD of us! We kick ass!" And we are...we are so proud. Who would have thought those first days when we ran for 30 seconds and felt like we couldn't go a second longer that we'd be running for 30 minutest straight and smiling the whole way. That we would run up and down the cul de sac 2 extra times at the end of the run JUST to get in that extra 1/4 mile. We are amazed at what we're doing now. We know that it's only going to get easier and we'll only be able to go farther and faster. We believe in ourselves now!
Because we couldn't find a 5k that worked for the both of us to do this fall, we ran our own...last week. And we killed it! We did it for a great cause and you guys, WE KILLED IT!
Again, we were SO PROUD of ourselves!!!
We feel unstoppable. We don't care if it's 40 degrees, if it's raining...we are running. We know it's going to get colder and eventually, we will have to start running on treadmills (not looking forward to that!), but we are not stopping. I have big hopes. I would love to run a 10K and maybe even a half marathon! Who knows! All I know is that I am capable, WE are capable of so much more than we know. I feel better than I ever have...between the food I am putting in my body to the work I am making my body do. I feel healthy. And I am proud of us. I am SO GRATEFUL for Sam and her encouragement on those days I didn't want to get off the couch. I am so grateful for Sam in those moments on our runs when I wanted to stop, when I felt like I couldn't go another step. Her and I have never ever strayed from the Couch to 5K program we are doing...not once. We haven't walked when we should have been running. We haven't stopped early. We have stuck with it 150%. I could have never done that without Sam.
Friends...I am telling you...if I can do it, if we can do it, SO CAN YOU! You find time for YOU, you find motivation from wherever you can...your friends, your family, the mirror...those jeans you want to fit into! (I just fit into my first pair of GOAL JEANS 3 days ago! I now have a new pair of goal jeans that I would love to fit into my Christmas!) I recommend you find a friend to do it with...a friend that is in the same place as you so you, that is as much of a beginner as you are.
DO IT...you will be SO PROUD of yourself!
Can't wait to say I have run 100 miles!!! I will let you know when that day comes FOR SURE!
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