My Challenge: 6 Weeks to a 5k

I’m not new to running.  I’ve been a “runner-in-progress” for over 4 years now.  My running started in January 0f 2008 when a friend of mine, Heather, decided to get healthy and lose weight.  We started working out together, which included running.  I remember a huge sense of accomplishment with her when I ran my first mile without stopping.  And I wanted more.

That’s when I discovered the Couch-2-5k training program.  Heather and I started working on it together, with our sights set on a 5k race at CMU in the fall of 2008 – the Homecoming 5k race.  The Couch-2-5k training program worked – although I didn’t run the full 3.1 miles, I did run most of it, and I made my goal of running it in under 40 minutes.  I went on to run 2 more 5k races that year and then training stopped for the most part.  I was busy with school and didn’t have time to work out anymore.

Now I don’t have school as an excuse… just my career, and being a newlywed, with a new home… those are my only excuses these days!  I did start running again, off and on, and ran a 5k earlier this year.  It was slow and almost painful, and my time was over 40 minutes.  I want to get back into running again, but I have tried to re-start the Couch-2-5k and been bored or frustrated with it.

So I came across an email today about treadmill running and what not to do, and in the article was a link to a 5k training program from Prevention.com – a Run-Walk 6 week program that seems more up my alley for what I am capable of these days.

And I’m going to try it!  I’m going to do the training program, with some “long runs” mixed in since it is just a run-walk program (where you do intervals of running for several minutes, then walking briefly, then run, walk, etc.).  After week 2, I will do a 1 mile run.  After week 4, I will do a 2 mile run.  And after week 6, I will do a 5k run!  At least… that’s the plan.  I have never actually run an entire 5k distance, which is a HUGE goal for me.

Hold me to my challenge, followers!!  I plan to keep updating about it, but if you happen to notice that I haven’t mentioned it in a while… give me a nudge, will ya? :)

Time to lace up those running shoes!