Couch to 5K
My other half 'suggested' that I might like to accompany our eldest daughter to the running club in town this week – to start on their 'Couch to 5K' running programme. And that's how I ended up walking across town in the rain after work this evening, and standing in front of a room full of strangers, pulling reflective bibs on, and listening to a confident sounding lady explain what we were going to do.
I kept quiet about eating half a packet of chocolate chip cookies after getting in from work.
Having missed the first week, it felt like most of the people already knew each other – they congregated into small groups, deep in conversation and laughter while waiting for everybody to arrive.
Eventually we all trudged out into the rain and started doing warm-up exercises – jogging this way and that, doing lunges, skipping, and whatever else the leader of the group thought up. There were perhaps twenty of us – ranging from late teens, through to late sixties.
I felt like a bit of a fraud, to be honest – for the next thirty minutes or so we ran and walked through town – two minutes running, one minute walking – repeating the pattern ten times. I could probably have run the whole thing. Yes, yes, I know you're not supposed to do stupid things like that straight away, but then I don't suppose anybody else on the course cycles six miles every day either.
Miss 19 did well. Considering she hasn't done any exercise at all since perhaps her third year at secondary school (five years ago), she kept going like a trooper. Given that she's nearly thirty years younger than me, I imagine she will over-take me by the time we get to the 5K 'graduation' race at the end of the course – or at least she will if she sticks at it.
I ran in my usual heavy raincoat tonight – I don't own a 'running coat' – or at least I won't until it arrives in the post tomorrow. I scoured Amazon for the cheapest bright yellow waterproof that had decent reviews. An order has also gone in for two head torches – the nights are drawing in, and the street lighting around town is pretty abysmal.
Anyway. First week done. Time to start recording some miles on the 'Couch to 5K' app on my phone.