I started Couch to 5k 8 weeks ago, having never been a runner. At the beginning I found the programme really challenging. In my first week 1 run I had a stitch by the third running interval, but I managed to make it through the whole session, and felt propelled by this success to just keep going.
I was amazed that in just a few weeks I was running 5 minutes without needing to stop, and before I knew it I'd managed 20 and then 25 minutes. This wasn't without falter. There were a couple of days I got out there and just wasn't in the mood, and returned home without completing the run, but I didn't let it stop me and made sure to reattempt the following day on these occasions.
This week I started Week 7. I made it through my first 25 minute run (week 6, run 3) and was amazed at how far I'd come. On Week 7, Run 1 I decided to do something a little different to vary my run route, and decided to run the 25 minutes without turning back half way through, which would give me a good 2 mile walk home after the run was done (what can I say? I was low on my daily step quota). But something really surprising happened, having completed my 25 minute run (3.5k), I walked around 5-10 minutes for recovery, and got the urge to start running again. I ended up running an additional 1km on the route back, clocking up a total of 4.5k. Not bad for one outing.
Last night I went to embark on Week 7, run 2 (another 25 mins). I was really looking forward to the run after the success of the other night. I feel like I'd really become a runner. And so last night I decided to challenge myself, run the 25 minutes, and if I felt like there was still fuel in the tank try to make it to 30 minutes. I made it, and still finding I had some energy left in me I decided I'd just push on to see if I could make it to 5k. And I DID IT! I ran 5k in just under 38 minutes! I'd taken myself on a run quite far from home, and so I had a good 30-40 minute walk home ahead of me, so after walking for 5 minutes or so, I decided to see if I had any more milage left in me, and ended up running an additional 2k, clocking up 7k in one evening!
I'm absolutely elated! 8 weeks ago I didn't imagine I'd be able to run 5k, let alone 7k!
I'm amazed at the stamina I've built up over the last few weeks, all thanks to the structure of the Couch to 5k programme. To those of you just getting started, or pushing through the challenge of week 5: YOU CAN DO THIS!
Yipee, completed Couch to 5K challenge!!!
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