this is me. in the middle of december. in the freezing cold. running. a 5k. the whole thing. without stopping. it might not seem like much to you, but it was huge for me. a few (well, 12 to be exact) weeks earlier, i had not run more than one minute at a time. ever.
it wasn't for lack of trying! i had tried and failed the couch to 5k program many times. i had also been very active, going to the gym for about an hour 6 days a week for about a year, yet i could not run. even when i felt like i could handle the cardio aspect of it, my body could not handle the impact of it. my hips, knees, back and foot issues would immediately stop me.
yet, something in me knew that i loved running. since i had never done it, im not sure how i knew that. i guess it's because i just had this overwhelming URGE to run. i'd be walking outside or on the treadmill and have to fight the desire to just start running. sometimes i would give in and do it. and then 60 seconds later stop because it hurt...or because my lungs and heart were about to explode.
so, when i heard about the No Boundaries program i was excited yet skeptical. it's a running program for EVERY level. it's sponsored by New Balance and run at Fleet Feet. the beginner program (often referred to as "5K") promises to take you from not being able to run at all to running a 5K in 12 weeks. i went to each group workout not believing i would be able to complete it. but i did. each time. one of the things that got me through was the coaches, mentors, and other participants running next to me. they would tell me how i COULD and WOULD be able to do it. they were so sure because they had done it. and seen hundreds (in some cases literally) of people do it year after year.
so i played along. i never missed a group workout or a homework session. i needed to know that if i failed it was not from lack of trying. and this amazing thing happened. it worked. i ran the whole entire 5k. and i wasn't the last one!
i loved it. so much in fact that my husband, who was dead set against doing it with me, had a total change of heart. he saw how much fun i was having and decided to join me for some home works. then he saw my success and decided he wanted to experience it too. so he is! he is doing it with me this session. we are both doing the 5K. (yeah, i already did it, but i was sometimes at the very back of the group....ok i was always last. and i think i'd like to do it again, maybe keep up a bit more this time. and it will be fun being in the same program as my husband.)
that's also great news for you guys! because i will be documenting the whole thing right here!! can't wait to share it all with you!
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