Hope Road

Run? Who, me?

Let’s just clarify something from the get-go - I do not look as cool as that woman does before I start to run. Or during. Or after.

All right, so I’ve been trying to run lately. I think calling it jogging would be more appropriate. What motivated me to do this? Well, I’ve been wanting to do it for a long time. Running seems like such a great way to be fit and energized. When I see people running, I have often wished that I could do it too. I tried it a couple of summers ago, but I didn’t have much of a plan or patience with myself to take it slowly.

When it comes to exercising, I was off-and-on during college. It really depended on the semester. I would walk on the treadmill, but that gets boring really quickly, so a lot of times I rode the bike. Anyway, once I graduated, I really wanted to start building a better routine, so why not start trying to run?

I haven’t run on a regular basis for years, ever since hide-and-seek was a regular game in the neighborhood. So I am not used to it at all. My goal right now is just to be able to run a 5K. So I’m doing this program, which can be frustrating because I want to be able to sprint! and run a marathon! right now! not alternate jogging and walking three days a week.

However, it’s been really good. I am a perfectionist and I like to follow the plan exactly, so I do it on the treadmill instead of in the great outdoors (on other days, I ride my bike outside, so that helps). I am doing it at a pretty slow speed now just to get myself used to it. But amazingly, I am getting used to it! I never thought that I would, but I enjoy it and it feels so good. I highly recommend it.

Maybe in awhile I will be able to run that 5K. I can’t wait until I can run the whole time nonstop. Oh, and I almost always watch the Disney Channel while I am working out. The Suite Life of Zack and Cody is like the soundtrack to my runs. I don’t know why, I just find it energizing. Strange confession!

I know there are some runners and wannabe runners out there… advice? Stories? Warnings?

Tags: 5K, exercise, jogging, running