A Girl Goes From Gym to 5k

When you’re doing the same darn thing day after day you are likely, at some point, going to become insanely bored. Like, out of your mind, tear your hair out, make it stop now bored.

And when you’re bored with your workouts you’re more likely to slack off or, worse, totally quit.

Oh no!!


I have recently been bitten by the boredom bug. BLAH! Honestly, I don’t want to look at another treadmill. And please, take those dumbbells away!!

My issue is simple – I have just been doing the same stuff for too long. It’s bad on so many levels!

Solution one: take it outside.

I have been going to the gym since college. Yes, it's been a few years. Well, more than a few. But, anyways . . . .

Apart from the occasional walk in the park, my workouts don’t really ever see the light of day (unless you count the sun coming through the gym’s windows, which I don't).

But recently, running has been everywhere in my world. Not people running on a machine, but people getting out there in the world.They were running outside. They were running races. I was intrigued.

I also kept hearing about the couch to 5k program. If you don’t know, it’s a regimen from coolrunning.com. It basically takes a non-runner and turns them into someone who can cover 3 miles. Each week you mix a bit of walking with a bit of jogging.

Hmmm . . . could I do with a change of scenery? And would a new goal, running in a race, motivate me?

Of course, while I thought it sounded good, I wondered how I would do it. Not in the physical sense, (though I knew that would be challenging) but rather - how would I manage the timing?

The program calls for specific time intervals. You might walk for 60 seconds and then run for 90.

But how was I going to do that?

Was I going to have to wear a watch and stare at my wrist the entire time? That would be totally dumb. I was not going to do that. How silly would I look, running along with my hand smack dab in front of my face? Um, no!

Yet, how would I know when to start and stop running?


But then I found a brilliant answer: my iPod.

I really, truly don’t know how I lived before technology. Seriously.

So off I went to iTunes where I added a hot little podcast to my miracle device – Robert Ullrey’s C25k running program.

Robert is a 43-year-old guy from California and is, I must say, awesome. Not only does he tell you when to run and when to walk, but he even adds in music (techno, if you wanted to know). Love it!!!

I’m on week number two right now.

I do have to admit, first and foremost, that hoofing it in the great outdoors is tougher than it is on the treadmill.

Um, hello random hills and wind!! I've also had to dodge a squirrel - the furry little monster was totally in my way and was not moving. Grrrr!!!!

And without the constantly revolving belt helping to propel me along, I’ve got to rely 100% on my muscles to push me forward.

Still, though, it all beats being stuck inside. The trees, the grass, the blue sky – Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m taking it slow – especially since I have some foot and knee issues that I must look out for. But the program is actually pretty ideal for that.

You can repeat weeks. Love, Love it!

You can even run at whatever pace you please. Too fantastic!

How did it take me so long to find this!?!?!?