MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

COUCH-TO-5K

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!

The fourth of July has come and gone.

I made a promise to myself that weekend.

That promise was to run a 5K. I didn't know how far one was. I didn't know if I could run. I didn't know a thing about this promise I had just made to myself.

I've struggled with my weight since I had the babies, but not being able to keep up with them began to bother me. It also made me wonder what kind of example I was setting for them. I didn't know how or where to start this 5K mission.

As I've said in the past my sister, sister in laws, and friends run, but I wondered how do I start? I came across The Couch-to-5K Running Program. It said that if I followed the simple running plan I could run a 5K in 9 weeks.

I've never done sports, never exercised for 'fun'. This was going to be a challenge. I started to follow the routine, along with a borrowed treadmill from my sister in law.

The challenge began.

Not only did this summer come with a record high month of temps for July. It also came with the realization that I could ONLY run for 30 seconds on the treadmill.

I was sweating, huffing and puffing and needed to walk for 2 minutes just to get my breath back. Not only was this startling to me, but it was also the realization of how physically 'out of shape' I was.

Along with the realization of my poor physical health came the drive, passion and determination to see this self made promise through.

I also partnered up with a neighbor and began to walk 4 miles a day around our neighborhood. We now walk half and run half.

I've been doing this in combination with The Couch-to-5k running program.

Here I am 11 weeks later patting myself on the back, and toot, toot, tooting my own horn.

Not only can I run a 5k outside. But I've also lost about 10 lbs, my clothes feel better, I eat better, I sleep better, I feel better. I have a routine to my day kicked off by 'working out'. I have successfully made a 'lifestyle change'.

Who would of thought that would be something I look forward to!!

I CAN DO THIS!

I ran most of the time solo, passing the ones who passed me in the beginning. The course ran through the Ward Hill Business Park and adjacent neighborhoods. The Haverhill football team was on the route to provide water and direction. One group even provided encouragement on a tough hill by singing and changing the lyrics to Van Halens 'Jump'. The boys said.
'You get up, and no thin' gets you down!'
They clapped and had high fives for us as we passed by.
I'M REALLY DOING THIS!!
I DID IT!!!

39:55 was my final time.

I beat my treadmill time by over two minutes!

My husband, children and sister where there to cheer me across the finish line.
I DID IT!!! And I'm going to continue doing this. It's something for me. It's never to late to make a change even if that change starts out breing only 30 seconds. It was the hardest 3o seconds and the most life changing half a minute in my life.



Hightower the clown. My girls were not so sure about him. Reagan confessed later she was nervous, and it's OK if she doesn't see him again.