I ran during junior high. But only because we had a really good PE track coach. But I was in shape that year. Great shape. I could run a mile fast. I could do hurdles. I could do 100 sit ups in a minute.

That was then.

I don’t think until 2005 that I had done any running since. In 2005 R took up running. He was 40. He ran a 5K, a triathlon, and a 10K. (He doesn’t remember that one, but he did it.) As far as I know he had never run before. But his friend found him a couch potato to 5K in 9 weeks program and he was off.

Today we were supposed to take up running again. (R quit running in September.)

But we went to bed too late to get up early this morning. R was probably late for work. So I went out to walk, at least. It’s about 60 degrees outside, a nice temperature for running.

I decided that I would try to run. So, since I haven’t looked at the program since probably September, I walked 90 seconds and ran 90 seconds. I did what I thought was 2 miles in 25.5 minutes. That quick time makes me sure that it isn’t 2 miles. I mean, that would be a good running rate. So I will need to check it out.

When I got home, after getting some water, I plopped down on the couch to see how far into the running plan I was.

I’m about at week 2.5.

Here’s a short version of the schedule:
All week’s schedules start with a brisk 5 minute warm up.
Wk 1 60 seconds jog, 90 seconds walk, repeat for a total of 20 minutes
Wk 2 90 seconds jog, 2 minutes walk, repeat for a total of 20 minutes
Wk 3 90 seconds jog, 90 seconds walk, 3 minutes jog, 3 minutes walk x2
Wk 4 3 minutes jog, 90 seconds walk, 5 minutes jog, 2.5 minutes walk, 3 minutes jog, 90 seconds walk, 5 minutes jog
Wk 5 5 minutes jog, 3 minutes walk, 5 minutes jog, 3 minutes walk, 5 minutes jog
Wk 6 5 minutes jog, 3 minutes walk, 8 minutes jog, 3 minutes walk, 5 minutes jog
Wk 7 25 minutes jog
Wk 8 28 minutes jog
Wk 9 30 minutes jog

I don’t think I ever got past week 5 before. But I am going to this time. I have a 5K I’m supposed to run at the end of February. So this week I guess I’ll either do what I did today or I’ll switch to week 3. It’ll be close if I want to really be ready to run.

But I’m tired of being out of shape. I might never lose the cottage cheese look, but I’d at least like to be firmer. And I can do this. I can jog three times a week. It’s not for very long and it’s a pacing thing.

So there’s my commitment. I will get through the whole program this time without quitting.