Completed a 5k plan, adopted a C210K plan

[gdcgray]

Last year the 5k people were very gracious to allow me in the forum. Their encouragement was phenomenal and lasting. I hope it's the same here. Here is a report and a short bio.

Off the Injury couch, stated over and met some goals!

3.25 miles today (Yesterday, Easter actually). I did 2.75 miles jogging and actually ran the last 1/2 mile, two laps around the track in lane 5, making today a nonstop 3.25 mile jog and run. First time ever doing that.

Preparing for the Climax Canyon 5K Trail Run in Raton New Mexico on April 29th, 2017

I am an ex smoker. Smoked 11 years, quit for twenty and smoked another 5 years before quitting again. Haven't smoked for 7 years now. Fell to addiction to a drug twice. Once in my young years and quit at 21 years old, then again in my later years and have been delivered for 7 years. Praise God.

I have NEVER been athletic. My first 30 yards of running last April 1st 2016, made me feel like I'd die on the spot of heart failure and suffocation!.

Early on in my training last year, I cut the bottom of my foot on a piece of corrugated galvanized aluminum and by the time that healed, something happened to my left knee. I ended up in 8 weeks of Physical Therapy strengthening glutes, quads and hip flexors, while that healed.

I had to start my training over again, starting on Jan 28th 2017. I started with a jog 1.5 minutes, walk 2 minutes and repeat a few times type of k program.

Now, I am using a zen labs C210K program through Zenlabs since I finished the Redrock apps 5 k program.

I have suffered excruciating shin splints every time I run sprint repeats and my body has resisted me while at the same time remarkably progressing.

I have scoliosis in my lumbar spine and nearly no space between L5 and S1 in my lower vertebrae. After that bout with the drug, I had lost nearly all my muscle and was sedentary for nearly 6 years after God delivered me from the drug 7 years ago.

I'll be 54 years old in May of this year. Imagine that.

God is good. I have prayed so often on that track that the Lord would please enable me to get through each routine. Even jogging a continuous 5 minutes seemed impossible in the beginning.

My goal is to run three miles in 30 minutes. A humble goal it seems but on the other hand, maybe not too humble for this old decrepit sucker.

Today, I reached a sub goal on the way to the main goal and went over 3 miles non-stop. I reached another goal which was merely to actually run, not jog, around the track just once. I ran the track twice!. That's so encouraging.

Looking back at all the neglect and abuse I have perpetrated on this body, and looking at my age on top of that, one has to look to God and say "Lord you sure made an awesome creation when you created us". It's a wonder I have made it this far after all the abuse I have put this old body through. Alcohol, drugs, smoking, bad nutrition, and all the crazy physical slave labor I have put this body through all my life.

God has been so incredibly good to me!

Would you thank the Lord with me? Would you praise God with me? He has loved and preserved me in spite of all my foolishness and abuse.

Thank you LORD and Blessed be the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He said I would run stronger than I did in the beginning. I didn't expect there to be a physical counterpart to that.

I have a long way to go, but I have seen what is possible and I trust the Lord to continue the work He started in me, both spiritually and physically.

Bless the LORD.

[Anniemurph Graduate10]

I'm happy for you, gdcgray and well done for working through all your troubles. Well done also for running over three miles! All the best as you prepare for your run at the end of the month.

[gdcgray in reply to Anniemurph]

Thank you Anniemurph