So I did what any sane person who hates running does--I decided to run a 10k. Makes total sense, right?!
See, at work we're participating in a health challenge. Individuals earn points for completing weekly exercise/food/health-related challenges that contribute to your team's points. At the end of 12 weeks, the top team earns $500 per member, and teams 2-5 get $100 per member.
My team is currently in 2nd place. If not for the points and the potential to win some money, I would almost definitely be sitting on my butt on the couch instead out out exercising. Yeah, sure, the real prize is a healthier lifestyle, blah blah blah. But I want to win some money, darn it! This challenge has really lit a fire under my butt to get me working out again. And that 10k was worth the max 60 points, so that's why I chose it (the 5k was 'only' worth 55 points...I went all out for those extra 5 points).
Last week I started the couch to 5k program and I as much as I hate running, I really am excited to get back in shape and maybe get back some of the muscle tone I lost along with the baby weight after I had Lorelai.
I got into pretty good shape the summer before I got pregnant with Lorelai with the anticipation of wanting to be really healthy and in shape for pregnancy, and I walked, swam, did Zumba and lots of yoga while I was pregnant with her. Unfortunately, I haven't done much exercising aside from Zumba since I had her. I thought I had lost all of the endurance I had built up since I haven't run in a couple of years (I'm not really counting the week I went out running with Lorelai in the jogging stroller when she was a month old), but maybe not!
I think starting off slowly and easing into it is a really good way to go. It seems crazy that I'll go from running 60 seconds at a time to running a 5k without stopping in just a couple of months. The 10k is in October, so I'm thinking if I can run a 5k in 2 months, I will hopefully be able to run a 10k in 4 months. Even if I can't run the whole way, my only real goal is to finish and not come in last place (and maybe not hate running so much by then).
Wish me luck!
