My First Outdoor Run

I was going to the gym Saturday and decided to do my Couch to 5K outside. It was sunny (a little chilly) but I had all my new duds and my new shoes, so I was ready to go!

All I had a goofy ski mask for a stocking cap but I made it work. I had a vest and gloves so I kept pretty warm. I started out with the normal 5 minute warm up walk. The sun felt so good on my face. It felt like early spring. I was a little stiff when I started my run/walk, run/walk, but it got better with each interval. I took in all my surroundings and listened to some great music, which made the time go fast.

When on the treadmill I am forever looking at the time - so just listening for the prompt to "begin running" or "begin walking" made the time seem to go by much faster. I refused to look at the program on my iPhone. The music and scenery helped. My 30 minutes of run/walking, including the 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down was just at 2.3 miles. It was was actually a little faster than I do on the treadmill, but I also increased the running time this week, so that probably had something to do with it.

I was on a roll, so I walked another mile - just because. It was a great experience and I plan to put in some outdoor time this week because the forecast looks great. I liked being at the park. It felt like there was a degree of "control", which I liked. 3 times around the park was a little over 3 miles.

My shin hurt when I first started and actually, by the time I finished the pain was gone. I felt GREAT!!! I just had to take the (very unflattering) photo of myself so you could see how elated I was! Goal accomplished.

That's all for now - nothing too clever, funny or exciting. Just the facts.

xxoo

My Couch to 5K Journey by KCarver

Hi. I'm Kim Carver. I'm not necessarily fat - but I ain't skinny neither. Most of my life I was petite, small framed, and average. I was never athletic; I never played any sports. My brothers were the only ones who played sports. And not "girly" sports" like soccer, as my dad would say. Just good ole fashioned baseball, football and basketball. God forbid, any of us girls would participate in a sport!

First of all, there were no "girl sports" in my day. Second, no one would be there to watch or cheer us on. In my day, girls only took gymnastics or dance, neither of which my family could afford. My parents barely went to my brothers games - it was the era when you rode your bike to the baseball diamond and back home again. Games and practices both. Parents weren't INVOLVED. If you wanted to do something, then you had to initiate it. Out of 4 girls and 2 boys in my family - only the boys played sports. Two of my sisters were cheerleaders. They learned all their cartwheels and such out on the front lawn with neighbors. Not me.

It's not that I didn't WANT to be athletic. I really did. I just wasn't coordinated. At all. I did, however, have an interest in being fit. Vanity, of course. Back in the day, I had the Jane Fonda Workout Book and CD tape, to boot. I joined Silhouette (now Fit Club) and even had a leotard and leg warmers. I breezed in. I breezed out. I did not do any aerobics. I tried; however, I was always going one way while the rest of the class went the other (embarrassing!) I was intimidated. I would do the machines-whatever they were at the time, equivalent to about 15-20 minutes tops! Never broke a sweat. Felt good about "getting in shape". Stayed at about 115lbs.

Had two more children - stayed relatively fit - worked out some - never committed to routine or life style change. NEVER changed my diet. The more I worked out - the more I figured I could eat. So, naturally, I gained weight. But here's the deal. I was like the opposite of an anorexic girl. They look in the mirror and see a distorted image of themselves and say "OMG, I am so FAT!" I looked in the mirror and said "OMG, I look GREAT!" In reality, I was getting bigger and more out of shape than ever!!! Denial, denial, denial.

There is one sport that has always piqued my interest - although my dad would never call it a "sport". Running. I wanted to be a runner. I wanted to wear the shoes and get a "runners high". It is a sport that "they say" anyone can do. This year I decided I was really going to do it. I was challenging myself. Not only to exercise - but to eat right. And run.

I have watched Shane and Tammy over the last few years, along with some other friends, transform themselves through running. They seem happy. They are motivated. They have set goals and you can tell that they feel good when they achieve those goals. They are disciplined - which is a huge factor in any goal setting. I have to say I am impressed. More than that - they make me want to be a runner. They make me believe that I CAN be a runner. They inspire me and give me the incentive to "go for it!"

I have set several goals for myself in the next 90 days, one of which is running a 5K. Or at least being physically able to run a 5K. I downloaded the FREE Couch to 5K app and have been faithful to do it, even the day my shin hurt like crazy. I am doing some strength training and exercises that my physical therapist gave me to strengthen my back. I really WANT this and am willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

So, I said all that to say this. I am doing the Couch to 5K and will be "blogging". I am not a great writer - but I am committed. I know that once I "put it out there" I am even more apt to accomplish my goals. I now have accountability. Currently, I am on week 2, day 2, so I will post again and give a synopsis of my first 2 weeks. Today, I just wanted to tell you a little about myself and why I want to be a runner. From here on out I will post regularly to let you know how I'm doing. Why don't you join me? It will be FUN!!!!

Warrior in training...

"Whyyyyy am I doing this??"  This I asked myself while pushing through the last five minute interval of my Couch-to-5K training yesterday.  Quickly enough though, I checked myself "Oh come on, you can do this!!"  I think these internal conversations happen to everyone at some point.  But why am I doing this? Why am I running?  Ultimately, it's about setting a goal and hitting it head on!

Up until now, my goals have been centered around weight loss and eating healthy.  Exercise, working out, running... ugh! A clue about my motivation to workout; I paid a full year's gym membership last year and likely stepped foot in the place ten times (don't tell Dave Ramsey).  My sister asked me to join Abe's Army with her last year, but I had no interest in running.  Friends run, co-workers run, I see posts on Facebook about running, success story after the next, and nothing hit me.

What changed?  Some co-workers started talking about the Warrior Dash and running it together.  If you haven't heard of it, the organizers of the Warrior Dash call it "a mud-crawling, fire-leaping, extreme run from hell."  More specifically, it is a 5K with 12 obstacles throughout including a cargo net climb, a stampede through a scrap yard, repelling down a ravine, crawling through mud under barbed wire and more.  Call me nuts (you wouldn't be the first) but THIS caught my attention.  I mean, how awesome is this?  I am signed up for the June 16, 2012 Warrior Dash in Channahon, Illinois. Fitness goal, check!!!

Couch-to-5K has a great reputation for new runners and I am having great success with it.  Is running easy? My answer is, not yet.  Easier than I had imagined.  I still have much to learn.  Thankfully, I am surrounded by family and friends, some of whom are experienced and knowledgeable runners, to support me in reaching this new goal of mine.

What ever you are doing, what ever goal you have set for yourself... keep it up! You can do this! Surround yourself with awesome people who will support you and push you.  Don't talk yourself out of it, talk yourself up!

Flabulous Flubber

So after yesterday's lack of mental preparedness I felt like I got jipped out of my workout somehow.  Even though I completed the workout, I was frustrated for some reason.  As I got up this morning, however, I felt good.  I didn't feel lethargic or whatever, just like I was ready to take on the day.  I know it has to be because of the workout/exercise.  I just feel better, I can't explain it.  Then I went in and weighed myself.  The scale said "one person at a time please."

I know the "Couch to 5k" plan says to run it 3 times a week, but that would mean waiting until tomorrow or Saturday to run again.  So I decided that I would at least do a brisk walk for 20 minutes today.  So I got all geared up, stretched and went out . . . and did the week 1 workout anyway.  I just got inspired to run it.  So I did.  I pushed myself but I didn't push myself too hard.  I just ran it.  To be honest I only did 16:30 today because my legs were in pain, but it was a good workout.



I still plan on doing the actual "workout 3 " of week 1 on Saturday, but I think I need to be doing some sort of Cardio thing everyday at least...Seriously I am sick of the fatness people,  you should be too.  If you are a Flabulous Fatty, get off the SS Fat Guy get moving.

Rotund Runner

Don't panic.  I will not be updating this blog ad nauseum with my daily minute by minute progress.  I will only be posting when I discover something I think anyone may want to learn from my own mistakes or accomplishments as I fumble and bumble through this journey toward health nirvana.

Second day of week 1 "couch to 5k" I discover that I am still fat, and I am still not in shape.  That may sound like a silly thing but I went out there today ready to conquer and found out that it was more difficult today that the first day.  My legs are sore from the previous run and I could feel it as I ran my first 100 feet or so...and it didn't work itself out.  My feet hurt the entire time today.  Can you blame them?  225 pounds jamming down on them for 20 minutes 2 days ago and then again today?  They were rebelling big time.  Today the 20 minutes seemed like an hour.  But . . .

I did it.  And I am glad.  I guess I am writing this so whoever tries will be realistic when they attempt this.  I learned from a good friend of mine that the surest way to failure in anything is to create unrealistic expectations.  That applies to this running thing.  When I started the other day, I expected to struggle through it and be heaving and wheezing at the end...it wasn't quite that bad, and I was more mentally fit to take it on.  Today I went thinking I could handle it with no problem and the mental part kicked my butt almost as much as the physical.

Part Two.

This is a personal rant.  Don't solicit me with your diet products or your personal trainer or gym membership garbage.  I don't want it.  I'm not interested.  I am doing this thing alone for a reason.  If there are others out there that like to go watch each other pump and sweat and make groaning noises in your under-armour leotards more power to you, but I personally do not enjoy other sweaty men in locker rooms with saggy junk walking around pretending they look good.  Community pump sessions are not for me, so please stop soliciting...nothing personal.

Enjoy.

Fatness 2.0

I'm Scott.  ScotteeeRock to a lot of people.  That used to mean a lot more when I was a fit good-looking 80's-ish rocker front-man running around on stage acting like a crazy person...a good stage show can always make up for lack of real talent--just ask Brett Michaels.  Besides acting like a fool on stage, I have always enjoyed just about any athletic activity you can name.  I am probably best at basketball, but I have always competed well in just about any sport including football, volleyball, dodgeball, tennis, golf, even running.  In fact, if I could pic my top two favorite things to do (that don't occur in the bedroom) it would be being on stage and participating in sports.

So why am I not doing those things anymore?  Because I am fat.  FAT.  Flubbery.  Sorry if I offend other Fatty's out there, but I have never been one to be very diplomatic or politically correct.  When I joined my first band I was 5' 11" and weighed 125 pounds.  At my heaviest I was 225...granted, it has been 20 years, but I have gained 100 pounds over that time.  I wore 28 waist Levi's.  Unreal.  People that know me today would never believe I was once that skinny.  People used to say I looked like Brad Pitt or Val Kilmer . . . now they say I look like Sam Kinison.  Wow.

So, finally, I have had it.  My friend Shane has been a motivation true enough, but recent trips to the doctor showing high blood pressure, trouble breathing, constant lethargic-ness, depression, hopelessness, and even envy, have finally pushed me to the edge and I am done with being fat.  DONE.  I know you have heard it before from people this time of year, but this time its different.

I have tried and succeeded losing wait before.  I can drop 20 or 30 pounds pretty easily by dieting, but when I reach whatever goal I set, I stop and slowly gain back the pounds until I am right back where I was.  My super ULTIMATE ideal weight would be about 165 I think.  My real goal is 175 to 180 depending on my muscle mass as I weight train.  But at this point weight loss is not my number one goal really.  It is my health.

I want to get in shape, period.  I want to be able to go toe to toe with my 16 year old on the court without getting winded after 10 minutes.  i want to be able to breathe at night without my stomach pushing my diaphragm up and choking me.  I want my blood pressure down without medication.  I want to avoid diabetes (which I am borderline after my last physical).  I want to hike and climb mountains like I used to.  I want to be able to swim farther than 20 feet and I want to be able to lift my own body weight into a boat without struggling.  And I would like to be able to do a rock show without sweating and huffing and puffing like the fat pig slob that I am right now.  I would like to have sex without being winded after 2 minutes.

So...like I have seen my buddy Shane do...I am going to run.  I am going to run until I am in shape.  And then I am going to keep running.  I started a program called "couch to 5k" yesterday http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml and guess what?  it is doable.  Even in my fatness I managed to do the first workout with a fair amount of ease.  I must warn you that it was not easy . . . nothing worthwhile ever is . . . but I was able to do it without killing myself.  And I will tell you, last night before bed I felt great.  I told my friend Shane how amazing I felt for the rest of the day, just exercising that much.  He basically said, welcome to the club, that it is natural.

So off I go on this couch to 5k journey starting at a flubbery 223.8 pounds.  Let's see what happens.