Couch to 5k: Week 1, Day 3

I've made it through week 1. I took the run outside today to the local park. It's nice running outside. It was about 76 degrees and quite humid, but I think that's about where they keep the thermostat in the fitness center at work, so I didn't notice a significant difference in my comfort level.

I did the same routine as days 1 and 2 today. I did the 5 minute warm up, stretched and commenced with the 60/90 routine. During the first 60 second run I found myself looking around and enjoying the scenery. When I remembered to look at the stop watch I took with me it was past the 1 minute mark and I found myself wondering if it had really already been over a minute. The rest of the runs were the same way until the very last one. When I got to the last run I was pretty beat. Despite my exhaustion, with about 25 seconds left I decided to see how hard I could push myself and broke into an all out run until the last 60 seconds were up. It felt good to know my body still had something left when my mind thought I was done for the day. I probably could have gone on for a little longer, but I saw the hill that lead back to the parking lot and my mind won the battle to go into walk mode. I finished with a 5 minute cool down walk and then stretched again.

I measured my run with the car and it was about 2.25 miles. I was afraid I would have trouble pacing myself without the treadmill to tell me how fast I was going, but my distance was pretty close to what I did on the first two runs, so I guess I did okay.

Running on pavement is definitely harder on my legs. I do have to say that good shoes make all the difference. I tried the couch to 5k program a few years ago and actually made it most of the way through before allowing life to get in the way. When I did it before, I was running in off the shelf generic department store shoes and I remember my legs taking a real beating. Thanks to my friends at Fleet Feet and some shiny new New Balance shoes, I've noticed very little discomfort in my legs and feet so far. There's the expected muscle soreness that comes with physical activity to which my body has become unaccustomed, but no pain. My knees and ankles don't ache and there are no signs of the plantar fasciitis with which I was plagued the last time I tried running.

Monday starts week 2. It doesn't sound like too big of a leap. The runs are 90 seconds and the walking is increased to 2 minutes per repetition. 30 seconds of running doesn't sound like that much. I plan to be back in the park Monday morning.

As of right now, I can't say I enjoy the runs as I am doing them, but I find myself looking forward to my next run as soon as I'm finished. I look forward to the day when going for a run is a part of my daily routine.