My Couch to 5K Journey

I haven’t really documented it as I didn’t think it would stick but now I really wish I had as its not only stuck but I’m loving it. What I’m I talking about? Well, 6 weeks ago I decided to try the couch to 5K challenge and now as I reach the final 3 weeks I can’t believe how far I have come.

I used to love going for a run when I was younger, I enjoyed cross country at school as I seemed to be able to run for a long time before I got tired. Now, I’m no athlete. I was always last to be picked in sports, came last in the sprints, no one wanted me on their team, but I could run (slowly) without stopping as just like the saying “slow and steady wins the race” I would always do well at long distance running.

Then I went to study, discovered life as an adult with little to no exercise. I would dip in and out of using the gym, but I always found that working hard did little to change my body. I have always been slim and all that sweating, and breathlessness seems pointless without seeing results. Weeks would pass, and nothing was different, so I would return to the couch and get the same results doing sweet diddly squat! I sound like I’m bragging, but I was young and able to eat anything and do nothing without gaining a pound.

I got older and had my children, my body changed for good and my metabolism slowed. I am still slim, but I would describe myself as skinny fat. With my clothes on you think I am a tiny size ten but remove them everything is jelly like and my gunt in very much in view, no longer tucked in and hidden in my leggings.

This makes me really sad when I look in the mirror, mostly because it reminds me of bodies that used to repulse my younger close-minded self in the past and I never thought it would happen to me. I would like to add here that this view has changed regarding others as I have grown, I love and celebrate other women’s shapes, curves, sizes in all their glory.

Its me that has a problem with my own image, something I am constantly working on.

Back in April I started Barton Boot camp, a local group that has a wide range of activities including HIIT, spin and boxercise. I started doing the morning classes (6am!) 3 times a week and they were tough. Some days I become so light headed from the intense workouts I feel sick and dizzy that I almost black out, that means its good for me right?!ha!

I was noticing a slight change in my fitness, but I was still frustrated that I wasn’t seeing massive changes. I was working hard, eating better/less but pretty much looking the same though I was feeling more energised.

I am insta-friends with the lovely Yasmine Camilla on Instagram (her blog here) and she was attempting the couch to 5 k and recommended it to me. This is not a new APP, I had heard of it before and know many who have used it, but I thought it wasn’t for me. On a whim, I downloaded it and tried the first run…hmm that wasn’t that bad. I did the next one, then the next and then the next – I was enjoying this.

The runs are set up week by week with 3 runs planned for each week. They slowly build the runs, so they are achievable and not over whelming, completely do able for a beginner. You can also choose a celebrity to help guide you through your runs and to motivate, I picked Sarah Milligan and I very much enjoyed her voice in my ear telling me I was brilliant. They are also only 30 minutes long, I found them easy to fit in around my days.

One of the things I knew about but didn’t really expect was how much this new goal was helping my mental health. Not only did I have something to work towards and wanted to achieve but I was finding those 30 mins of running great for releasing excess anxious energy, I seemed to be able to break down any over thought thoughts and I saw a lift in my general mood. I was actually looking forward to my little sweat fests, who even was I?!?! We recently had some nights away at Crieff Hydro and I not only took but gym gear, but I even used them! Seriously, who am I?

I've tried to build exercise into my routine. That way I don't have to think about doing it. It's part of a normal day now I have finished and I am finding I am running 7 km around 5 times a week now.

Have I lost any weight, I have no idea. I don’t weight myself. Do my clothes feel loser? No I wouldn’t say so but I feel stronger, fitter and …happier? I seem to have found my stride with this running malkery and I don’t see myself packing it in any time soon.

I have even looked into signing up for a 5 k run but there doesn’t seem to be any this month during my search, maybe I can push for a 10k. Build myself up and do a half marathon?

I love having goals and with running my goals are endless. Its really pushing me to feel better about myself and it is!

My running journey it’s a work in progress. But it's just what I needed lately, the barriers I have overcome; they have really showed me that I can do it, and if I trained hard enough there's no reason why one day I couldn't run a marathon