About this Blog

I started this blog as a record of my journey in learning how to run. I hope my experience can help you too in your mission to get off the couch, start exercising and lose that extra layer.

My posts are honest and personal. I have divided them into three sections that comment on my emotions, the physical run (jog!) and tips for next time to help me improve my performance. I hope you can use these ideas to encourage and help you along in your couch to 5k journey.


Please share your experiences, ideas or questions in the comment section of each post.

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Tuesday, 22 November 2011

Week 1, Day 1

28 ½ minutes of exercise: 5 minutes to warm-up, 5 to cool-down and 8 minutes running.
(8 x run 1 minute, walk 1 ½ minutes)

(Monday morning 5:30am)

Emotions (before): 
I was very nervous to get started. I have never been able to run...my whole life. So last night I made my lunch for work, placed my running outfit ready on the bed and settled down for an early night sleep. My alarm was set at 5:20am for a 5:30 start. Early, yes, but I wanted everyone to still be in their houses asleep and a minimum amount of people to see me panting! 

The run: 
Wow! It was so much easier than I expected! It was definitely a workout, but doable and I achieved it. The motivation from the iPhone app was fantastic, and having pop singalong songs on the iPod helped me get through the minutes. Singing the lyrics made the minutes go fast. Yes, there were points when I was thinking "How much longer!?" then the app will tell me "Just 30 seconds of running left" and that made it so easy.

I will add, my run was a jog. My type of 'run'. Really proud of myself I could do 8 minutes of staggered 'running'. 

I actually didn't care about the other people who were also walking. I was red, sweaty and so involved in achieving the program, that when I gave my "Morning" hello to the passer-by I kept on running without a care. Having music also drowned out my 'panting' so my brain didn't psychologically give up from the sound of my heavy breathing. I was so involved I forgot to put my sunnies on and ran with them on my head!

Tips for next run: 
  • Basement Jaxx - Do Your Thing, is great first song to begin the walk with a smile and a zip in my step. 
  • Definitely have upbeat poppy songs that I can sing to, singing along (miming!) makes the running minutes go faster. 
  • Have at least 30 minutes rest time after the run.
  • Don't give up. You will finish it and you will feel so proud of yourself.
  • Stretch after!

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