8 Things a 5K Will Teach You

Okay, so last week I made the big announcement that I was going to run a 5K (that's 3.2 miles for the layman).

Here's a little background on this decision. At the end of December last year I decided I had had enough with my weight and made the big return to Weight Watchers (this isn't an ad, but I do have success with their program, just sayin'). I am now 20lbs lighter than when I started. Last week at their weekly meeting they challenged all of us to WALK a 5K. Pshah, I thought. I can WALK a 5K in my sleep. I do 40 minutes on an eliptical almost daily - and I've been increasing the resistance as I go. Walking a 5K is no challenge at all.

Tucked inside the info sheet for the 5K was a way to train to RUN a 5K. Silly me, I took the bait, hook, line and sinker. I'll do it, I told myself, it will be easy! And then I told all my friends on Facebook as well.

The next day I began my training. I was to walk for 5 minutes to warm up, and then run 1 minute and walk 1 minute, 10 times. Then walk for another 5 minutes at the end. With my terrific math skills I figured that was a good 30 minute work out. So I met with my personal trainer the next day and told him that I was going to run a 5K. He was all for it, because he's a personal trainer and they're like that, you know. I asked him (his name is Ryan for anyone interested. And he's just a kid, 26 years old, he's getting married and he's settling down to some degree....Oh, back to the subject!) So I asked him, should I train on the track or on a treadmill. He advised me to start on the track because it would be more like the race. So after a 30 minute lower body work out with Ryan I went up to the second floor track and started my training.

As I walked the initial 5 minutes, I thought - Hey, I feel pretty good! This is going to be a piece of cake! I'm in shape! I'll be able to knock of 3 miles in no time! Heheheheheheh! The joke was on me. I ran the first minute and thought - Wow, that was harder than I thought. I ran the second minute (after I walked a minute) and thought, that was harder than the first. By the time I got to my fifth set, I could no longer run a full minute.

But I came home and there were all sorts of posts on facebook telling me how great it was that I was going to run this race! And there were all sorts of posts telling me how much I was going to love it! And there was also some advice from experienced runners!

I am now in my second week of training and this is what I have learned thus far.
#1. Don't run after a 30 minutes lower body work out
#2. Never assume you are in shape!
#3. Be humble and take advice!(it was mentioned that I might be more encouraged on a treadmill. They were right!)
#4. Running is definitely harder than excerising on an eliptical
#5. Running on a treadmill is easier than running on a track
#6. Never run a marathon (or even a half)
#7. Your legs hurt after running
And last but certainly not least -
#8. Misery really does love company. It's a lot easier to think I am going to do this because there are other people who are going to run with me. (Well, they will probably run ahead of me, but think of all the cheering I will get when I get to the finish line!)

So I am committed. Barring any knee issues, I intend to run on June 18th. I will post pictures when the time comes, because I don't imagine I will ever do this again.
Week two training??? Run 2 minutes, walk 3 - check!