Can I run a 5k for real real?

Dear Reader:

This blog post is a personal journal I wrote almost 3 years ago. I had just completed a 5k the previous fall in 37 minutes, with a little bit of walking and I wanted to run a 5k "for real", meaning: no walking.

Spoiler alert: I succeeded at running a 5k. It even got easier and I started to run that distance a few times a week. I'm hitting publish on this personal blog post because you can do it too.

March 23, 2022: I'm chilling in my cheap Odd Lots La-Z-Boy look-a-like. This chair isn't comfy. The metal digs into my back and the pleather has worn away. But it was only 300 bucks. I just had a spicy deluxe combo from McDonald's after "Week 3 Day 2" of the Couchto5k running plan. The McDonald's was a bribe to myself for running. Maybe I'll get a McGriddle Friday on Week 3 Day 3. If you're reading this, I succeeded. If not, it's sitting in my drafts as another failure and fading away to entropy. Dark. Hopefully I did the former, did the damn thing and hit publish. That'd be cool.

Couchto5k is cool. You start off with a light walk, then a bell dings and tells you to run. You run for a minute or two and the bell dings again, signaling you to walk and recover for a bit. Then it does it again. Over time, the runs get longer and the walks get shorter. I'm not all that convinced I'll be running completely by the end but we'll see. Just gonna stick to the program, admire my progress and try to not fall off.

Why am I writing about this? I guess mostly for me, that's how most of my blog posts go. For myself and maybe to help someone if they resonate with it or whatever.

Somehow I convinced 2 friends to run a 5k with me. It took a lot of begging. I recommend this method. You will not want to disappoint your friends and they won't want to disappoint you either.

I do not consider myself a runner. But I guess I am now. I started last year with a training program on my treadmill. It was a similar to CouchTo5k, gradually increasing the amount of running until you are running 30 minutes + straight with no breaks of walking. But a treadmill 5k is different from an outdoor 5k. It's way easier.

My last 5k was my first. It was a Brewery 5k and you got a ticket for a beer after. I did it alone. It was a little painful. (looking back: a lot painful! My body ached for a week). But the rush at the beginning of running with other people was a mental boost I didn't expect. I ran for probably the first 10-15 minutes and then walked and ran between for the rest. Then I hung around and drank my beer alone like a weirdo, walked around the vendor booths and went home. I kept running here and there but I never had a great plan.

There's a park near me so I'd walk to it, run there. Walk some. Walking there sucks though. The road leading to it is 25 mph speed limit but these fuckers always do like 50 through there. Now I drive. and I use the 5k app. I make my way to one end of the park, walking and running as the app tells me. Then I turn around and do it again. I probably look crazy, I don't care.

I enjoy sifting through the data I get from my Apple Watch. Heart rate, cadence, time per mile, etc. It's motivating to see those times go down. Data rocks.

The 5k is April 29th. 20,000 people are registered Saturday for the small races and 20,000 Sunday for the "main event", which is a marathon etc. Maybe I'll do a 10k next. We'll see.

I have a calendar on my wall I use to track the CouchTo5K progress. Week 3, Day 3: March 25. Week 4, Day 1: March 27. Week 4, Day 2: March 29. A rest day in-between each training day should land me where I want to be. I like this big paper calendar over a digital one, it's more real. I should complete the training on April 25th, just 5 days before race day. Close.

I believe having a goal that is only a month or so away is really pragmatic. If you go too far out, you get lofty, dreamy goals that are a future you that never comes. Time slips and I fail.

Why should I run at all?

I need to lose 20 pounds. People say cardio doesn't make you lose weight, but it sure seems to help me. The less I weigh, the more I know I'll be able to improve my times. Plus, one time I had a Blizzard from Dairy Queen right before a jog on the treadmill and it convinced me not to ever do that again.

Running is a great sport. It's free. It's also one of the hardest things I've ever done. It just plain sucks ass. I'm hoping it will be a "cornerstone" or foundation for other habits and things I wanna do in life. Plus, after finishing a run, you feel like a champion. We'll see how this experiment works out. Wish me luck.

Why I want to be a runner:

lose weight
make friends
feel like a champ
data is cool + get to watch yourself improve
health and stuff

Pain is temporary, but victory is forever - Unknown

April 30, 2022

I did the damn thing!

My official time was 34 minutes and 12 seconds. Looking back, my previous writing seems really gloomy.

I am a bit disappointed that I didn't take it even more seriously: train harder and more, eat better, not drink the night before, not track calories, etc. Maybe I'll do that for the next one. It hurts to not get your full potential. Really, really, reallllyyy knowing that you gave it absolutely every-fucking-thing you got. Could I have got a little better time? Yeah. And it sucks knowing I didn't give it more!! But to be fair, I was feeling a little bit of pain.

I shaved 3 minutes off my last time, which was around 37 minutes. I really really need to go all the fuck in. Idk how to convince my self to do it. Because...if I can shave 3 minutes off with just a little effort, what does medium to full effort look like? A lot damn better!

Looking Back

This note has been in my drafts for over two years! Holy shit. I edited it and made it a little prettier. I lost 20 lbs since, I ran the same first 5k event every year since, joined Park Run, ran more distance alone, ran a 10k and have enjoyed / hated running ever since. Now I won't STFU about it.

Advice for Soon-To-Be Runners

If I had to give advice to someone who wants to learn to like running that hates it:

Pick Up I hate Running and You Can Too

This book illustrates lots of the mindset of running and the mindset of being a beginner to running. It's inspiring and good.

Find a Couchto5k app or program and follow it.

This gradual approach helped me and others a ton to train.

Walk for general fitness

I usually don't run every day. But I walk every day. It's keeps your fitness up and gives you time to think, or listen to a podcast.

Get an Apple Watch or Other fitness tracker.

I love recording runs and seeing the data. You might too. Get some kind of thing to strap to your wrist and track data and progress.

Consider Joining a Parkrun or Running Club Near You
It's going to suck, but then it's going to rock.

Running is not fun at the beginning and building your fitness takes time. Take it easy (or not) and be consistent.

Good luck on your path, future runner 🫡