Running

OK. So, for the last month+, I've been doing a program called "Couch Potato to 5k" which is designed to get you running a 5k (about 3 miles), with progressively harder workouts over a period of 9 weeks. There are a couple of mp3 versions available for free on iTunes. One is called Podcasts for Running, and another is First Day to 5 k by Podrunner Intervals. I skipped Week 1 since I wasn't a complete couch potato. All of the workouts have a 5 minute warm-up and a 5 minute cool down. Week 2 was 6 intervals of alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. By the 6th running interval, I was gasping like a landed trout. Thought I was going to DIE. Wondering what crazy person thought this was a good idea. Oh, yeah, that was me... I took Spike with me, and for the first 10 minutes, he was trying to drag me down the road (thank goodness he only weighs 5 pounds!) but by the last 10 minutes, I was dragging him. He (and I) improved quickly, though, as we completed more runs.

Fast forward a month, and I'm proud to say I just finished the last day of Week 5, which is 20 minutes of non-stop running (plus the warm up & cool down). The funny thing is, it didn't seem as hard as Week 2. I've come a long way, Baby! I'm not saying I was running very fast; I mean, come on, my running partner has 6 inch long legs! But still, I have improved so much. I acutually enjoy running now. It's not easy, but a good challenge is healthy! Whoever designed this program figured out just the right mix of challenging, without being, "OMG that's impossible!!!" Every week I think, "Oh, man, that's gonna be rough!" but it's never as hard as I expect it to be. Four more weeks to go!

Spike loves our runs together. He totally flips out when he sees me get my running shoes out, and yes, he knows the difference between running shoes and regular shoes. Here's what seems to be going through his head:

"Let'sGoLet'sGoLet'sGoLet'sGoLet'sGoGetYourShoesLet'sGoGetMyLeashLet'sGo GO!GO!GO!!!

Oh, look! There's something in the road! What could it be? Oh, a pinecone! COOL!

What's that? There's something in the road! What could it be? Ah! A candy wrapper! Neat!

There's something else! What is it? A fiddler crab!!! WOW! Can I eat it? OUCH. No, can't eat that...

A car! What will we do??? Let's run out in front of it; that'll teach it! No, Mom? Oh, well, if you insist, we'll just run here on the side of the road for a while.

Look, a BIRD! I shall catch it and eat it for my dinner. What? Oh, yeah, dogs can't fly.

A squirrel! Can I catch THAT? No? Durn leash...

Mmmm... something stinky. Maybe I should rol---OOF! Guess Mom doesn't want to stop running.

A fence post! I could pee on tha-- *yank* I guess Mom still isn't ready to stop...

NEIGHBOR'S CAT!!! KILLKILLKILL!!! Hahaha! Look at him run! That's right, Buddy, you just keep on truckin'!

Back home already? No more running today? Ah, naptime. "