And Finally, I'm off the couch !

So this post was a long time coming.
But like all good stories, this has many paths and directions. I'll try keep to the main story, but little vignettes into other blog topics may appear.

November 7th gone, a Monday, My wife points out a sign  - 'Couch to 5K' starting on the Wednesday.
Ok - So I'm interested. it's 2 days away and leaves me little room for excuses.
'Couch to 5 K' - so what does it mean ? Basically the local athletics club say that this fitness programme will in a matter of weeks have me go from sitting about to being able to run 5Km.
If they could get me to run 1Km over that period - I'ld be chuffed. SO, off I go.
But running has always been a psychological block. I could run around a pitch chasing a ball with sticks (Hurling..look it up ), and for a few years I managed to do that. But if a coach was to ask me to run the outside of the pitch - I'ld be shattered after the 1st or second lap - I find giving up a lot easier, and find jogging so so boring. I could always claim with some justification - I just can't run - Or at least until now !

The programme is to meet twice weekly, ease into the running by...walking ! I kid me not. Now I could walk for Ireland, I love challenges of 10-20-50 km walks. Hillwalking has long been a favourite. So from a fitness perspective, I wouldn't be so close to zero.
But what surprised me most for the couch 5k programme was the mentoring to bring jogging along by introducing it over time.... walk 90seconds, very very slowly jog for 60 seconds. repeat.
The following week, walk 90/jog 90. then walk 2 minutes/jog1, and onwards toward walk 2 minutes jog/5 eventually jog 15/walk5 culminating after 7 weeks in jogging 32.5 minutes - I just ran 5 K ...21st December. What a Christmas present to oneself. Remember the 'if they can get me to run 1K...' Well 1Km was the personal goal, well exceeded.

So is that it ? No.

I managed against my own expectation to run 5k, but that was a once off. I proved to myself that yes I can. Now I need to sustain 5K until it becomes comfortable. Otherwise excuse will creep back in. Another explanation needed I think.
Just because I ran 5k, don't believe it was easy - sweating, snorting, spitting and pure exhaustion. Great euphoria, but hard none the less.

The couch/5K programme was an end of year offer from the local club 'Le Cheile Ac'. Come the New Year, if I wished, membership opens up again.
So to return the thanks for running the programme and getting me started, I join the club to continue with it.
Club meets are once a week and I just managed to do that. Old commitments/excuses/flu all join in to basically leave me at the 'just about' 5K level. Or so I thought.
A new couch programme starts, new members join. At 9 weeks - their turn to run 5K. My turn to mentor. And did I get a surprise, the slower of this group managed the 5k in about the same time as our group. But I felt as if this was 'way too slow'. In effect - my fitness had climbed. Still finding 5k just about manageable, but not realising that was because my expectations and fitness had increased.

I keep at it.

My kids school come out with a fundraiser. A 10 Km run.
I'm challenged, I go for it.
Practise: Run 9.5km - stopped 3 times for breath. (Still find it easy to stop)
The run: 10km - done with 4 (very short) walks.

And then last night, 1 week after the run. I go for a jog.
I ran the 10 Km route, without stopping !

Finally - I can say it - I'm off the couch and can run 5K


Many many thanks to 'Le Cheile Ac, Leixlip', the running club friends made, and to my Wife - for getting me off the couch !