C25K: Week 6

What can you do for 25 minutes? Watch TV, read a book, work on a project, play outside with your kids...? I can do all those things too PLUS I can run...for 25 minutes! This is a major accomplishment from someone who just months ago wondered about people who ran. I'd always heard about "runner's high" but I couldn't get past the scream of my thighs to get anywhere near a "high". I hated running. But if you've been reading my blogs, you already know this. The Couch to 5K changed the way I feel about running and is changing my life. I am simply amazed.

When I started running six weeks ago, I started on a Sunday afternoon. I continued to stay on the same schedule, running Sunday's, Tuesday's, and Thursday's. That was until I got sick during week five. So instead of completing the week on a Thursday, I finished it on last Sunday evening. I started week six on Tuesday.

Week five ended with a 20 minute run so I assumed that going back to intervals on week six would be a breeze. I was wrong. Day one started off with the five minute walk followed by a 5 minute run, an eight minute run, and another five minute run. The first five minute run was OK. By the time I finished the eight minute run my legs were killing me and I wanted to stop. The last five minutes was TORTURE! I pushed through somehow. Sometimes finishing has everything to do with knowing that I have a group of people who are keeping up with me and encouraging me and I don't want to disappoint. The other part of it is that I've come so far and I owe it to myself!

I woke up late on Thursday which ended up being day two. Day two had two 10 minute runs. Again, I figured that it wasn't much different from day one and a lot shorter than the end of week five so I wouldn't have to much of a problem. Wrong again! And I don't like being wrong! Ha! I've come to believe that running is at least 50% mental if not more. Mind over matter, right? Right! I had also hit the snooze too many times that morning so I got home just before the baby arrived and I was a HOT mess, literally!

Since I'm off schedule, I got up a few minutes after 6:00 a.m. today to finish week six. Yes, on Saturday! I know, I can't believe it either. :) After how hard the previous days were, I had to push my doubts aside and just go for it. And I owned that 25 minute run! I'm not saying that there weren't times that I wish I could have just stopped and walked or when my legs weren't hurting but I finished and I finished well. I really believe what I said about running being mental. On the previous days knowing that I was going to be able to stop after a few minutes kept me looking forward to stopping but knowing ahead of time that I would run almost my entire route, I wasn't constantly listening for the cue to stop, I was enjoying my run and focusing on pushing myself to go just a bit farther. It's such an exhilarating experience to know that you've pushed yourself and that you've conquered something you never thought you could do.

I would like to get back to my normal schedule so I'm hoping to get up early in the morning and start week seven. Only two more weeks to go after this one! I can't believe it! I'm looking forward to running my first 5K with my mom and my uncle!

Oh and before you go...here is what I look like after running for 25 minutes! Sweat never looked so good...to me! OK...it's not the best picture but who cares...I ran for 25 minutes! :)