Reflecting On Couch to 5k And Bridge to 10k Treadmill Tortures!

Today I thought I'd take a look back at the start of my journey to a slimmer and fitter me,  just to reassure myself that I'm doing OK. 

I've come a long way since March 2011!  I've achieved things I didn't think my body was capable of doing. I've lost weight, become fitter, gained new friends and got a new interest.

When I first started to do the Couch to 5k workouts my only concern was to burn off some extra calories so I could have some more food on my plate!  Never in my life did I think I'd be able to finish the program and be able to jog 5k!   As it became apparent that  there was a possibility that I might be able to finish that program I started looking for a new challenge - and that came in the form of 10k interval training.

Looking back at some of my stats during my C25k Treadmill Torture it makes me smile to see how proud I was at some points of my endeavours which now make me think "so what?"   I sort of left my comfort zone at around week 5. Before that I was coping fine with the intervals. At around week 5 it dawned on me that things were going to get tougher quite soon and I'd actually have to start working harder!

• "I completed c25k Week 5 today - finishing with a great 20 minute jog.  My legs were a bit tired but they'd best get used to it - it's not going to get any easier that's for sure! "

• "The good news is - I've finished C25K - Week 6 -however, the bad news is -  the final workout almost killed me!"

• "I was sort of feeling that I would actually manage to do this run 3 miles thing -  however - W6D3 has knocked my confidence a little. "
  

• During Week 7 - "Today I realised just how far I've come and how well I'm doing.  A few years ago I used to have a little jog when we were out and I struggled to jog from one lamp post to the next - and I pretty much couldn't jog between 2 lamp posts."

•  "Week 8 Day one is a bit worrying - I'm wondering if I'll actually be able to run the distance - 28 minute run is the longest time I've ever run in my entire life! "
  

•  "Week 9  day 1 - The prospect of increasing my run time scares me to death! (30 minutes was  needed!)"

• "C25K - Graduation run - For the last 10 minutes of my 35 minute run I was feeling a bit heavy legged"

 Starting on the Bridge to 10k - I thought I must be mental. No way on Gods earth would I be able to jog 10k. I thought I might get about half way through but I never in a million years thought I'd graduate the course.   Yet I  have!   Some of the weeks I found quite tough - especially on days when it was hot and sticky. Some days I found fairly easy. I read other peoples words of encouragement when they said "If I can do it, anyone can do it!"  and I thought - yeah right!  It's easy for them to say that.  But it's true.  And now I can join the ranks of those who say:

"If I can do it - you can do it!"

I will never win any races. I don't run with great style, finesse or grace. I don't run at any great speed, but I enjoy ,my workouts. I love the slimmer me and best of all I've loved the challenge!

My next challenge is 13.1 - Half Marathon Training.   Again, I'm thinking I must be completely and utterly mental to be considering this one.  But then I remind myself that not too many months ago I thought that about me trying to jog 5k.   I might not finish my 13.1 journey but I'm going to have fun trying!


Thanks for following my journey so far.  I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you as I journey onwards...