Couch to 5K

I am not a runner.

There have been several times in my life when I decide I want to be a runner.  I envy the people I see taking their evening or morning jogs; all of them calm, composed and fluid.  I watch them as I walk to or from work, knowing that during any of my jogging attempts I have looked the exact opposite - limbs flailing, red in the face, huffing and puffing, easily defeated.

My attempts at becoming a runner are always short-lived.  I usually lose the motivation, the energy, as quickly as it arrived.  Often, instead of finding myself in a 'head-clearing place' on my runs, all I can think to myself, during every foot-pounding the pavement moment is: 'when can this God-forsaken torture end?'  "The hump," is what my running friends tell me.  "Just get over the hump and you'll love it."  

Ahem.

Hasn't happened yet.

But suddenly, amazingly, shockingly, I have hope that one day - one day soon - it just might.  I'd heard about the couch-to-5K program earlier this summer when a friend brought it up after listening to me complain about my lack of running skills for the umpteenth time.  I looked it up online, realizing that maybe that was my issue - I'd just never really been taught how to become a runner.  So, I checked out the website, thought the method sounded easy enough...and then promptly dismissed it.  

But you guys.  Just last week I learned that this program is an app as well!  Only one run in, I realize it is very early for me to say all that I am about to say.  Add to it the fact that right now, the weather is perfect for jogging in these parts of New England and lately I've been motivated to stay outside as much as possible, fully aware that cooler days and nights are not too far off.  Still, I swear, this app?  It is going to change my running life.  For $2, you download the program.  Then you are greeted by a countdown clock and a "trainer."  They lay out the work-out plan, explaining each part of the program, allowing you to keep track of your minutes averaged by mile, letting you record how you feel at the end of each work-out.  You can pull in your own musical playlist and finally when you're ready to let feet hit the pavement, the clock starts ticking.  After five minutes of a warm-up walk, your little trainer speaks up and says "Let's Jog!"  And so you jog, for the one minute countdown.  Then, that little trainer - who is not nearly as annoying as I would have guessed - comes back and says "brisk walk."  So, you walk briskly for a minute.  Then you jog again, etc. etc. etc.  I've never been one to jog to music before, but I have to say, it's helpful.  It's also extremely helpful to have an app keeping track of my running times instead of trying to count city blocks in my head.  

Seriously.  Who knew the power of a count-down clock?    

I realize as I type this that any true runners reading this are probably rolling their eyes.  And I probably look a little ridiculous weaving up and down the streets of my neighborhood running one minute, walking the next, and then running again.  But to that I say, whatever.  Because on Sunday night I used this program for the first time.  And for the first time in my life I really. finished. an entire run - instead of just letting myself stop after a few blocks.  Even better than finishing the run?  I really enjoyed it!  Like, couldn't wait until the next night I was free to do my "Week 1, Work Out #2" part of the running program, enjoyed it.  

If you're a born runner then this post probably won't mean anything to you.  But for those of you that are like me, all bundled up with grand running intentions but have a difficult time executing?  Here are the magic words, the ones that should give you hope about your own case, the ones that give ME hope about my own fitness goals.  For the very first time in any part of my "jogging career" I suddenly feel like I have this goal; one I genuinely feel is attainable.  

To run.