Potato

Skies: partly cloudy

Temp: 75 degrees

Humidity: 69%

Wind: 1 mph

Time of Day: 8:35 pm

It's the BIG DAY! I'm starting my program. How in the world, though, to get started? Remember Eric, my Fleet Feet store guy? Eric told me to google "Couch to 5k". Embarrassingly, that seemed to fit! I found numerous helpful sites. The one I'm pulling most of my information from is http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/ where I found this workout plan. (Now, now...no snickering.) Based on this plan I will be running for 30 minutes straight in 4 months.

The coolest thing is that it starts out with just walking...that's it. 25 minutes. Then 30. Three times a week. You gradually start alternating this with running, i.e. 28/2 (walking to running). If I can figure out how to put the first month's schedule on here, I will.

Here's what they say: "Starting on week two, you will see that you run and walk a certain number of minutes each. This means that you may run for 1 minute, walk for 5 minutes, run for another minute OR maybe save the running for the middle of your routine and walk before and after your running...anyways, you get the idea. Do whatever is comfortable to do the required minutes. However you choose to do it, you are still building up. It is SOOOO important to not overdo the running...and don't even think about speed. Run at a leisurely, comfortable pace. It does not matter how fast other people are running."

I can do this! I CAN do this. (p.s. You can, too.)

So tonight, I walked at a brisk pace for 30 minutes. Did a leisurely cool down for 5-10, then some good stretching, all while talking on the phone to my dear friend, Lynn, who is encouraging me from afar.

Day one...done!