Training: Weeks 4 & 5

      I'm having a hard time differentiating the individual weeks at this point because it just seems like I'm constantly running and progressing.  But I do know that I just finished week 5, and tomorrow I start week 6.  

      I would say that week 4 was a turning point for me.  When I have run in the past I am literally in this state of dread with each step that I take.  The whole time I'm thinking, "I'm running.  This sucks.  My legs hurt.  Oh no, a 5 minute run is coming up.  Not looking forward to that.  When will this be over?!"  I have taken a turn and now it is kind of like I am in a state of zen as I run.  I'm thinking about the lyrics to the song I'm listening to and enjoying a little free time away from my crazy wonderful kids.  

      My younger sister, Chelsea, and I are doing this training together so it's fun to be able to call or text her later that day and say, "I ran.  It was _____ (insert: awesome, terrible, exhausting, etc.).  How did yours go?"  The first few weeks my response was usually along the lines of "tiring" or "really challenging", but the last few times I have said something like "Great!".  That right there is progress.  There is nothing like the feeling of seeing your body do things you didn't know it could do.  I am NOT a runner.  I think I will maintain that for a long time.  But I am becoming one.  I am becoming somebody who ENJOYS running.  I am becoming somebody who says things like, "I'm really looking forward to my run tomorrow."  I never knew that Courtney existed.  

      My most recent workout was one that my sister and I had been dreading.  Before it had always been intervals.  An example would be: 5 minute jog, 3 minute walk, 5 minute jog, 3 minute walk, 5 minute jog.  The longest we had run would have been for 8 minutes at a time.  But this most recent workout simply stated, "Run for 20 minutes.  No walking."  That was scary to me.  That seemed like a big jump to me.  But I got out there and did it.  And my text to Chelsea was (word for word), "It was awesome, Chels!  I wasn't even tired!"  

      I am so looking forward to my training this week.  It has cooled down quite a bit and I really enjoy running in the cool weather.  It really almost makes me giddy to talk about.  We even registered for our 5k on November 3rd, so it's official.  I am actually enjoying my training so much that I am going to continue training for a 10k.  My friend, Hannah, has agreed to do that with me, which is another thing that has me so fired up.  

      Never in a million years did I think that I would be saying these things to you.  Anybody can run a 5k.  If you've been wanting to do it, I urge you to train.  It is so fulfilling.  I love it.