I know, you’re thinking “wait a minute! What’s she on about?”
Well, we had a new recruit today, the lady I was telling you about last week, who we were trying to persuade to join C25K. She came along with one of her dogs, and was very unsure about how she would perform, so two of us decided to do w1r1 with her, so she didn’t feel so isolated. It worked well, with her finishing the whole run. It was knackering! My legs felt really heavy, and ached like nobody’s business! To go back to intervals is exceptionally difficult. Plus, it was still very hot. Thank goodness for a cooling breeze, otherwise I don’t know how I would have coped.
Then, another regular running buddy, who was catching up with w7r3, needed company for the last minute and a half, so I accompanied her for that, although I didn’t join her in the sprint at the end!
Anyway, after it was all over, my buddy and I walked back to my house for a refreshing drink of water plus loo stop, and a brief sit down. After five minutes or so, another buddy comes knocking on the door, and after further drinks and wees, we set off to do w8r1.
Thank goodness for Genesis’ Selling England by the Pound, and my new Bluetooth headphones. I was able to ignore the exhaustion in my poor old body, and keep shuffling along for twenty-eight minutes. No sprint today! Oh no! On the walk home, I felt like my calves were beginning to seize up, they felt so wooden. I made sure I did the post-run stretches really well.
The point is this. Eight weeks ago, I thought I was going to die, each time I tried to run for sixty seconds. I did not. Here I am, just a few weeks later, able to run for twenty-eight minutes non-stop. Okay, some may not call it running, as it was so slow, but running it was. I won’t win any races, but at least I am getting out there, and shifting my butt in an attempt to get fitter. My style may be not be the most graceful, but I’m DOING it.
For those of you just starting out, or those of you who are struggling, hang in there. It DOES get better. The program really works, and coupled with the wonderful support network that is this forum, you are never doing it alone. Just make sure you check in here every day, to pick up tips, encouragement, and to share your progress (or lack of, for any reason), and vent your spleen if something isn’t going quite right. There is ALWAYS someone who can help you. To coin a phrase, “we’re all in it together“!
Happy running, and keep smiling! 😃