Couch to 5K 1.1, or Day 2 of 24 for May

I woke up sore from the day before. The best thing I did, to get going, was have my workout clothes out, and ready. I was planning on putting off the run, but I found myself at 9am ready to go. So was Peach. I put her in her stroller, and off we went!

I hated it. I'm not a runner. My friend, JN, and I have had conversations of admiring runners bodies, and wanting to love running. I remember the last time I loved running... I was in 8th grade, and I ran with a girl named Monique. She and I talked and ran, and I completely lost track of time. We ran 3 miles, with an average of 6 minutes per mile. I have not liked running since that day. At all. Ever.

So today was like torture. I didn't smile once. I felt like my face moved up and down when I ran, and I don't have a fat face. The thump thump thump almost drowned out my iPod, so I turned up the music. I crashed the poor, non-jogging, stroller into the curb, almost creating an end to my newly begun self-infliction. I almost stopped through two of the run periods, but didn't. And run period 7 of 8, I slowed to a walk with 20 seconds left. I began to mentally beat myself up, but decided I had run much, much farther than I thought I could, so it was okay. And I ran through run 8.

Peach didn't cry, but fell asleep, making me think maybe I non-jogging stroller is okay. I took a puff of the inhaler before I took off, making it leagues easier than it ever has been before. Running without a burning chest, taking full breaths, without wheezing... It's a new world! This is something I have only recently learned about me, and now that I know it, I think it could have helped my endurance in the other many sports I enjoyed as a youth. I never thought the words "walk now" would have such a Pavlovian influence on my inner peace, as they do now. I felt success when I made it halfway. I felt success when I received the indicator, "one more minute". And I almost (if I could have) jumped for joy as I walked up to my front door, as the training ended.

How do I feel? Awful. Do I love it? NO. Am I going to do it again? YES. In two days. Tomorrow I do the 100 workout again.

After all, I haven't thrown up, passed out, broken a limb, or died. So I guess I keep going...