Couch {er....Coma} to 5k.

About a month ago my friend Amber posted this on her blog.  It looked awesome.  Like the most.  And then I found out there was a Color Run in my very own city of Grand Rapids, Michigan--but I'd missed the deadline to register......and let's be honest......I'd have a difficult time running a 5k at this point even if the prize for..........just finishing in under twenty-four hours.......was an all expense paid trip to Puerto Vallarta.

And that's stupid.  I should be able to run a 5k.  I'm 34.  Healthy (ish). And it's just all around a good thing to be able to do.

I'd been saving the "Couch to 5K" schedule on my desktop for a while and just kept staring at it.  But I always forgot about it come the next Monday (the only day to actually start things right?) or so I told myself.  And my anal mind just couldn't come to grips with starting something on a random Thursday night.  I mean.......that just feels.......messy.

But I read Amber's post on a Thursday and I decided........I was taking this bull by the horns and I was starting that night.  Thursday, July 12th.

And I did.
I snapped this picture (I don't even know why I own running shoes--I guess it's the American thing to do) before I started off.  And how appropriate that I stood in a pile of pink sand from Georgia's sandbox while using the Color Run as my inspiration to get off the couch and run.  Or, more appropriate for me.....out of my coma.

That's right.  I run in big dangly earrings.  It'll be my trademark or something.  They'll call me the......earring runner.  Whatever.

I started this post the day after I started the program--as a way to keep myself accountable.  Here I am.....on a random Saturday......

.....running at night....so no one can see me awkwardly dying jogging through the neighborhood......

And I've kept at it.  I'm 1/2 way through the schedule.  And when I complete it--I've pretty much decided that these babies will be a reward to myself--because they're awesome.

.....running with a cold.....and every time my feet pounded the pavement it was like someone was hitting me in the head with a mallet.....

.......running to Kylie who is my running friend......although I've decided a great track to run to would be the sound of someone chasing you through a parking garage at night.....that'd get you going right?

And the ultimate high-five......my husband stood out on the driveway last night while I ran by him willing myself to keep going and clapped for me and then told me when I came back in that I actually looked like a runner.  A real runner who runs for exercise......not just someone huffing through neighborhood streets in a sad, sad way.

I'm headed up north for vacation next week and I'm thankful that I'll have some die hard runners up there with me to get me through some big hurdles in the program.  The amount of running I have to jump up to next week feels a little daunting.....but then again.......three weeks ago four minutes felt like that.......and now......four minutes feels like nothing.  And that.....is a great feeling.

If you're interested in doing the couch to 5k program yourself the schedule is right here.........

So thank-you Amber for getting me off the couch......and you did it all the way from the Philly color run without even knowing it!  (And P.S.......when you click over to Amber's blog check out her posts about the amazing open adoption she has with her son's birth-mother........it's all kinds of fantastic!)