A week ago, I started a program with a few other ladies I know called "From the couch to 5k." To say the least, I cannot yet run. I have never pushed myself to do it. I have experienced the dieting yo-yo for going on about 25 years. I'm only 37 now and that should be a hint at the kind of experience I have had with exercise and diet.
The first day away from my couch, I will never forget. I almost died. In my mind I was dead already. I have literally tried everything under the sun, from Phen-Fen to Jenny Craig, tae-bo to swimming, with little success. I am over weight. I can't bend over to tie my shoes. I have been ashamed of myself nearly all my life. I was the fat kid in P.E. who couldn't run, who would sit out and watch the other kids because I was too afraid of being made fun of. Now here I was, I could not keep pace with the other ladies at all. I was sucking more wind just walking up that first hill than I have in my entire life! I could not catch my breath for the whole time we were out there. The first 5 minutes were supposed to be just the warm up. I was past warm! I was completely reved up and overheating. I was humiliated, embarrassed. I didn't think I was going to make it up the hill at all. I wanted to quit, just give up and go home. But there was this voice, saying, "You've got this. You can do it. You are almost there." So I kept on.
Nope. Not my voice, but the voice of a woman, who is an aerobics instructor at the Y, and can run circles around me all day long. She was the one who invited me to join the group the day before. Which I thought was a complete joke. But she was serious, and I took it as a challenge. "It's for beginners," she said.
Great job! I'm right there beside you. I admire your courage and strength.
ReplyDeleteVery motivating. I totally agree that it is the distance, not the time. I tell myself that everytime I go out for a run. Walking or running, you burn about the same calories when you go the same distance.
ReplyDelete