A couple of months ago, sometime last year, I started training to run a 5K. Electric Run is a novelty 5K (I'm not sure I'm up to run a 5K just for the sake of running a 5K), and it was a good way to start exercising with the goal of being able to go to this thing and have a great time.
It also showed me how out of shape I was.
The 8 week Couch-to-5K program that LM and I committed to starts you at running 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds, rinse and repeat. Eventually, you move on to intervals where you run 2/3 of the time and walk 1/3 of the time and then you're just running. You can run at whatever pace you want, and the important thing is the interval training.
Last year, in doing this, I was consistently running/walking about 2.2 miles in 25-30 minutes, which is not that surprising for me, considering that in high school, I used to run/walk 2 miles in 24 minutes (although I will admit that in high school, that was the minimum to get an A on the 2 mile run so that's what I did and I was always more than a little out of breath by the end. I should also finally maybe admit to myself that 9th grade was 10 years ago. I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS.) I also trained to finally get myself to run 2 miles in 20 minutes and that was a huge deal for me.
It took a lot out of me and I barely made it to the end, but I was super happy with myself for pushing through it.
Of course, LM and I ran the Electric Run last October and it was so worth it even though I was getting over a cold and hadn't actually trained for the couple of weeks before then. I hadn't even gotten through the whole training program and was still struggling to complete every module.
Note: I realized I never made a blog post about Electric Run I'll just leave this here.
It also showed me how out of shape I was.
The 8 week Couch-to-5K program that LM and I committed to starts you at running 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds, rinse and repeat. Eventually, you move on to intervals where you run 2/3 of the time and walk 1/3 of the time and then you're just running. You can run at whatever pace you want, and the important thing is the interval training.
Last year, in doing this, I was consistently running/walking about 2.2 miles in 25-30 minutes, which is not that surprising for me, considering that in high school, I used to run/walk 2 miles in 24 minutes (although I will admit that in high school, that was the minimum to get an A on the 2 mile run so that's what I did and I was always more than a little out of breath by the end. I should also finally maybe admit to myself that 9th grade was 10 years ago. I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS.) I also trained to finally get myself to run 2 miles in 20 minutes and that was a huge deal for me.
It took a lot out of me and I barely made it to the end, but I was super happy with myself for pushing through it.
Of course, LM and I ran the Electric Run last October and it was so worth it even though I was getting over a cold and hadn't actually trained for the couple of weeks before then. I hadn't even gotten through the whole training program and was still struggling to complete every module.
Note: I realized I never made a blog post about Electric Run I'll just leave this here.
This time around, we're training for our spring 5K -- Color Me Rad, where you run through a powder flinging festival. And the training is feeling much better than last time. This time, at Week 4, Day 1, my run:walk ratio is 2:1 and I hit 2 miles at 19:50. Also, I do not feel like dying every time I run and I don't get side stitches anymore.
As a scientist who is always looking for reasons that things could be possible, I have come up with a number of reasons why I am doing better:
1) I am in better shape. I've been dancing through the semester, and did 3.5 hours of dance a week prior to starting running. And more the closer it was to showtime.
2) Mentally, I am more prepared to run this because I've already done it before.
3) The weather is colder. (actually significantly colder. I often run in my bright orange workout pants.)
4) I listen to different music. While my workout music had traditionally been very upbeat, pop/rock songs, I've been recently favoring more chill, slow songs. Whoo in the Christina Perri/Sara Bareilles direction.
5) I know my route better and know where the mile markers are.
6) I'm pushing myself harder (unlikely because I don't feel bad afterwards).
Whatever the case, I am happier running than I ever have been before. Hopefully, this will last.
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