C25k Week 1 Day - uhhhh something

So I officially started Couch to 5k this week - twice. The first start was on Monday and it was hard! I made a rookie mistake and kicked the treadmill too fast on my first running session. I made it through that one but by even the second session I was feeling my lungs and legs burn. So I decided that the best thing to do was run for as long as I could and then walk. I kept my walking session times starting at the same time (for example if I was supposed to run minutes 10:00 to 11:00 and then walk but only managed to run to 10:45 I still considered my walking session starting at 11:00 and going till 12:30). It wasn't the best way to do it but it worked for me.

So Wednesday I tried to do it all over again. This time I kept my speed lower but just wasn't feeling it. I was feeling it more in my legs than I was on Monday, which was weird. Last Saturday I ordered some new running shoes from New Balance (I know, I really should have gone to be fitted, but there's no where near me to do it) and they came Tuesday, so Wednesday was the first time I ran in them (walked in them Tuesday). So I don't know if I was just still trying to break them in or what, but my legs felt so heavy and awkward. I kept with my "run as much as you can" plan and was just really happy that I kept myself on the treadmill the whole time.

I tried again yesterday and actually did the entire program the correct way! I cannot tell you how happy I was when that last running session was over. Not because I was happy to be done running, but because I'd actually done it! I was so incredibly excited to actually do it correctly and it gave me such a huge burst of confidence. Now, I have to say that it wasn't pretty and it wasn't fast by any means; but it was completed, and that's the important part. Plus I even managed to stay on the treadmill for an extra five minutes after the time designated by the program to give my legs an extra stretch.

So since I've started this program with plenty of time before my 5k in July, I've decided that I'm going to count Saturday as my official day 1 of week 1 and will go from there with Monday as day 2 and Wednesday as day 3 and just consider last Monday and Wednesday as extra days. I really think it's important to start out with a good foundation to training so I think it's really important that I'm totally comfortable with week 1 before I go on to week 2. So I'll be back to let you know how official week 1 went!

I'm trying to turn myself from a self-proclaimed non-runner into a pavement-pounder by my first 5k this summer - and I'm doing it with the lovely Breanne of "Bella Vita". Check out my announcement post here and check back weekly for my training updates as I make my way through the Couch to 5k program. And if you're a runner with any tips I'd love to hear them!