I have always enjoyed a brisk walk. My best friend growing up walked really fast. I enjoyed staying at the same pace with him. For the last few months I have been thinking about taking up running as a hobby. I enjoy the challenge of walking fast and wanted to see if I could start running. I had no experience but, I thought, maybe I could give running a go and see what it’s like.
Today, I went out for my first run. I am following the NHS Couch to 5k challenge. The challenge is designed specifically for people with limited running experience to get started. Couch to 5k is exactly what I was looking for: designed for beginners. Over the next nine weeks, I am hoping to follow the challenge, going out for a run three times a week and following the schedule in the accompanying app.
The schedule for today’s run was a five minute warm-up followed by several periods of 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of brisk walking. The brisk walking was a much-needed rest period between each of the runs, particularly toward the end. The run ended with a five minute cool down, in which I could ease out of the run. In total, I ran for about eight minutes, and walked fast for 22 minutes.
The run was challenging, but I loved it. I saw the world from a little bit of a different perspective. I am used to walking on pavements and seeing the world at a certain pace. But when running, I am moving faster. I can cover a greater distance in a shorter period of time. I didn’t track my run, but I think the distance of the walking and running was around 1.5-2 miles judging by sign posts.
Toward the end of the run, I was exhausted but proud. I got home, got changed, had a glass of water, then went back to my day.
I am writing this blog post both as a reflection for myself and something of accountability. I hope to write about my progress as I go. As much as I know that there will be many challenges ahead as I learn, I am excited.
If you run, I’d love to hear about how you got started!
