About a month ago, I went out to lunch with a friend of mine who had moved from Kentucky to Virginia. She lives about an hour north of Stafford. When she moved to Virginia a few years ago, she got it in her head that she wanted to become a runner. And runner she became. I’m not sure if she’s run a full marathon yet but I’m pretty sure she’s run a half.
During the course of our conversation, she mentioned that she’s going to do a 5K in the coming months and told me I should do it too. I scoffed. “My hip,” I said, “can’t take it anymore.” And I wasn’t lying. Actually, it’s my SI joint that flares and puts me on the couch even if I spend a day cleaning. I’ve had a back injection, applied heat and ice, taken countless ibuprofen … all of these things lessen the intensity but alas, the burning and pain persist. I’ve tried to pick up running a few times in the past couple of years but every time I do, the SI joint screams loudly and I can’t even walk for a couple of days afterwards. Still, it was like my friend planted a seed somewhere deep inside my head.
A week or so ago, I was reading an article in Fitness Magazine. The article mentioned the reason why beginning runners quit so soon is because they try to do too much in the beginning. Another seed planted. In previous years, I had tried to run at the same pace I was running when I actually ran on a regular basis. I started doing research. I bought Runner’s World Magazine. Lo and behold, there was another article saying “start slow.” This was now a project. I developed a plan, which included two things:
- Couch to 5K – a beginner’s running schedule that helps newbies reach their fitness goals in a safe, reasonable amount of time.
- Thoroughbred Classic 5K – a race on Thanksgiving morning at Keeneland in Kentucky.
Yeah! Good for you! I’ve many good things from people who’ve done the couch to 5k.