C25K - Week 2

I started the Couch to 5K program a week ago and have had mixed feelings about it, along with mixed amounts of success and setbacks. My husband agreed to start the program with me. I thought this would be fun to do this together (more on that in a bit).

Week one was HARD...much harder than I anticipated. Running for 60 second intervals when you haven't run in years (possibly never) is challenging. As a smoker for more years than I'd like to admit my lungs didn't feel up for the challenge. Those 60 second intervals hurt and I became very down on myself and negative about the whole program. What made the situation worse is that my husband, also a non-runne,r had no problem with the program. He felt "great", this is "fun"...oh shut up....for goodness sake, this is a one woman pity party and you aren't invited!!! By the end of week one we weren't talking at all durning our run/walk time together. I think he was afraid that I would bite his head off. Plus the fact that he was blowing by me, there was no way I could keep up and I was growing angrier and angrier. How could he be enjoying what was making me so miserable?!?!?!?

What made Week 1 terrible for me was my mindset. Every second I spent running (running is being very generous, I call it the old lady-like shuffle) was spent telling myself I couldn't do it. The words "I can't" were louder than my Ipod tunes in my head. Every second hurt my body and I was not making anything better with my defeatist attitude.

Week 2 - I reached out to a few SparkFriends and got some good and realistic advice. I wasn't going to be a runner overnight. I needed to stick with the program and change my attitude PRONTO. Two days into the 90 seconds of running/ 120 seconds of walking I can proudly say "I'm doing it". Last night, I walked out the door, shuffling my feet, feeling bad for myself and saying "I can't". My husband told me to start focusing on the moments when I feel I can and get over myself. (Smart guy that hubby of mine)

So last night may be Week2/Day 2 of my program but it was the first time that everytime I started running I repeated the words I CAN! Not only did this keep me motivated, it also made sure I was breathing, which I forget to do while exercising :)

Oh yeah, Hubby and I have decided that running together is not a bonding experience. I'm not trying to win a race with him but with myself. :)