#3.1at31

So, I have already explained how I impulse purchased my way into running. Star Wars, they can literally sell anything to me. 

However, I guess it is important to explain why I didn’t quit yet... yet.

So 2017 sucked for me. Majorly. My long term partner broke up with me the day before he was supposed to move in. It broke my heart.

I also had to find a new apartment. That meant moving. He broke my heart, but I broke my ankle.

Yup. While moving I stepped off a step wrong and fractured my ankle. I didn’t think I broke it. I thought I sprained it REALLY REALLY BAD!

I drove a box truck with that fractured ankle. 

It actually wasn’t until my ex’s mom told me she thought I had broken my ankle, that I went to the doctor’s. A week later.

I left urgent care with a fancy walking boot! (it was not fancy, however my nieces LOVED it). 

Before I left the urgent care, the Doctor asked me if anyone could come and help me get home. (Because of course I broke my RIGHT foot, my driving foot.)

Of course, I started to weep in the doctors office. He looked at me, kind of awkwardly, you know, in that way in which someone who did not plan to be your emotional support suddenly does.

He told me that I would be fine and that I was tougher than a fractured ankle. I drove home with my left foot.

So I turned 31, then it was 2018, I decided that I was not going to be shat on by anyone. 

Literally anyone, especially myself. I needed a change and maybe that is why I so impulsively decided to sign up for a half marathon. Then demoted myself to a 5k.

I was literally starting a level 2 (if level 1 was walking) and I was going to do a 5k. How fitting that it is 3.1 miles and I turned 31. Totally unplanned. 

So, yeah. Hi. I’m Mary. I guess now I am a runner.

I wasn’t a runner on January 18th 2018. That was my first day of c25k training.  C25k Training, is couch to 5k training. These training programs are typically anywhere from 8 to 10 weeks and they are often interval training programs.

I did the ZenLabs app version of C25k and I enjoyed it for the most part. I liked that there was a timed 5 minute warm but and cool down. But there is also a guiding voice who tells you what you will be doing, for example “Run for 5 minutes, this is run 1 of 4.” It also told you when you were half way done because I need that in my life to know i have made it over the hill and the finish line is closing in. This training program ONLY has your run days in it.

However, there are a ton of different C25k programs out there. Lots of races have their own C25k Training programs that you can print off their registration sites. These training guidelines have different types of trainings in them. For example, active rest days, which are days in which working out is encouraged but you don’t have to run. Or Walk Days-  days in which, surprise, you take a  30 minute walk.

I really like the Gazelle Girls training calendar. 

You can see their training calendar here for their 2017 race

There is also a Reddit subreddit that is all about c2k5 training. They offer their own verison of it on the sub too. The subreddit is pretty nice because it is a very support place where you can get running questions answered.

As I was saying, on January 18th, I did my first day of training.  Frankly, I was not good at it at all. Also, I have ALWAYS been one of those people who talks shit about running. I hated it in high school. I thought it was a silly hobby for people, I mean why go running? You could do literally any other version of working out. I mean, shooting is pretty bad-ass hobby! So is cross-country skiing! You could even combine to two and do a biathlon. Literally, I did not understand why people WANTED to run.

I’m also not super unfit, i mean, I am unfit. But not SUPER unfit. I’m the whole kind of unfit in which you pray you won’t muffin top out of your favorite jeans after a night eating pizza. I’m not that I can’t walk across my apartment level of unfit.

I’ve done physical things before too. I was on the golf team in high school. In college I was on the Colorguard for a while. I played roller derby while in grad school. I worked several jobs in which I did a lot of walking. Once I had my first desk job I had a personal trainer for a while too. I go on a 30 mile hike every year. I am active! Okay, I’m active-ish...

So how did I get here? 

By being a nerd, damn it. 

Ugh. Someone on facebook posted about Disney’s Star Wars Virtual half marathon and I thought, “Yeah, that totally looks doable.” 

I mean logically I can hike 30 miles in a weekend. Why couldn’t i do this half marathon, its only 13.1 miles. Also, I’d get a cool metal! Who doesn’t want a metal? I didn’t do sports in high school that earned metals. By brother did, and yes I was very jealous.

So i signed up. I put my money in. 

Then i started reading about how to train for a half marathon and I was ready to shit a brick.

I mean these are training programs that in your first week of training you are expected to run two miles a day on your EASY run days! I couldn’t even run for two minutes let alone two miles. There are times in my life where I wish took the time to research things before i did them. This was one of those times.

However, this is also where I learned what a 5k was and I decided that I could TOTALLY do a 5k. I mean it’s ONLY 3.1 miles. However, remember, i cannot run for 2 minutes yet.

So I download the C25k app and register for a 5k in 9 weeks. See, this is where i once again wish i had the foresight to RESEARCH before i just gave my money to things.

I signed up for the Spectrum health Irish Jig run on Saint Patrick's day and decided to just go for it.