The Shrinking Butt Brigade

It’s started.  My crazy idea that I want to be a runner.  Yesterday I started the Couch to 5K (C25K) program with my boss TOJ (The Other Jenn). Today I’m sore. Boy am I sore. 

 

Why run? You ask.  Let’s go back a bit first.  Since the early 90’s I’ve wanted to be a runner/jogger type person.  I see people jogging and think they are so in shape and healthy, that THAT’s what I want to be. It takes some serious stamina and strength to be a runner.  And I need both. I trained and walked 60 miles surely I can train and run a 5K. I had to train for the 60 miles, and I am training for the 5K. It’s that simple. 

 

I have ran in the past, aside from a dog chasing me in the 5^th grade. In my days at the Cat Shack I started Weight Watchers. My means of exercise at the time was walking during lunch.  One day while walking the hills on Capitol hill I started jogging up the hills.  I would walk the flat block, turn and jog up the hill, walk the flat, then every few blocks, turn and jog up hill.  After a couple of months I found I could not only run up the hill, but continue running for a bit once I hit the top.  (And when I say “run” I mean jog.) I never really counted the distance, just that I knew I was running and that it made me feel good. It was oddly relaxing at the time. 

 

Now with my new healthy self I think I can truly do this. I have everything perfectly in place to make me successful at this. God knows I’ve been the Queen of Excuseville for months now trying to get my butt out the door to start this. First I had to buy sports bras, then they had to be “tested” to ensure the girls were safe, then this, then that, then this, and so on. Finally, TOJ texted me yesterday to see if I wanted to start it. My excuses started then. My bras had just arrived and I wasn’t sure if they’d work right, and this and that etc. And as I was typing out one excuse after another I realized I was doing just that, making excuses. So I erased what I was typing and instead typed “Let’s do it.” 

 

It should be no surprise to anyone who reads this blog that I’m taking you on the trip with me.  I have found by putting it “out there” I feel more accountable. There’s no way I can fail now that the entire world – or at least my little piece of the world – knows what my goals are.  I can’t fail in front of all of you.  Yet, there has been a couple of doubting thomas’. Friends who have questioned why I would do this. Surely I’m going to hurt myself.  I know they mean well, and I appreciate their concern. But I could just as easily hurt myself walking to the bathroom. At the end of the day, I loved how I felt yesterday. I was tired, a little in pain, but I loved the fact that I've started something I've long since put off. Runners are healthy to me. I want to be healthy. And I want to run. 

 

The C25K program is 9 weeks of training.  We’re going to extend that into 18 weeks.  Two weeks for every one of theirs.  I think I have further to go than TOJ and one other friend who's now joining us. We decided we needed a name, so we’re officially the Shrinking Butts Brigade – hence the title of this blog post.

 

If you’re interested in the C25K, there are plenty of apps and links online to provide you the information for the program. 

 

So here’s my goal: Complete the C25K program by end of December. This is going to be challenging because for three weeks of that time I’ll be on vacation in different locations. Still, I’ve set my goal. 

 

My ultimate goal is to run in the Race for the Cure in June of 2013.  There are several 5Ks between Jan and June of next year. I may run in one or two of them. In fact, I have one on my calendar right now for Saturday, January 5^th.

 

Who’s with me?

 

I’d like to take a moment to thank my supporters.  There are so many people who have helped me keep my eye on the prize these last several months, and for them I’m truly thankful.  I have a ton of fantastic friends and supporters who will keep me in line and true to my word.

 

What have I done?