Couch to 5K: Graduation! Oh, the places you'll go!

Tuesday morning I had my date with destiny and successfully completed the Couch to 5K program (C25K).   It's almost obscene how proud I am of that.  Although, technically, I guess I won't officially graduate until I officially run an actual 5K.  But I finished all of the workouts on my app including the last day that had me running for 30 minutes straight.  Yes, 30 minutes in a row without stopping.  The last 4 minutes were death times two.  However, I now actually feel confident that I could successfully run a whole 5K.  The key, as always, being that you just don't give yourself permission to stop even when every fiber of your being is saying death would be preferable.  It also helps to slow down your pace a little when you start to think you're going to hyperventilate.

Week 8 Day 1 attempted to get the best of me last week.  It tried really hard.  The 28 minutes it said I was supposed to run seemed very intimidating. Plus, I had been sick for 4 straight days before attempting it, my still slightly stuffy nose did not appreciate me trying to do anything that would require breathing heavy and there was an annoying troll of a woman doing super short run/walk intervals (with a stupid fluffy poodle that can't possibly be capable of running with her) that cut me off at 20 minutes in.  And for reasons that elude me, I stopped and headed home with only 8 minutes left.  I was annoyed with myself the rest of the day.  It was 8 minutes.  If you can run 20, what is 8 more?  Who stops at that point?  Me, would apparently be the answer.

So the next day, despite the fact that I normally like to have a rest day between runs (Did anyone else notice I used the phrase "between runs" and how that gives the illusion that I'm an actual experienced runner?  How funny is that madness?), I laced up and headed out and finished all 28 minutes.  It was seriously hard and I was clock watching like you wouldn't believe.  The last 3 minutes was full blown count down fueled by nothing more than wanting to be able to say I had finished it.

And I did.  And then I powered out the last days and here I am.  For anyone curious, here's what the hot mess panting madness looks like pretty the whole time I run:

That was week 3.  Think it got better?  Wrong.  Here's Week 8 Day 3:

Why am I doing this?  This blows.  WTH.

I'd like to follow that up with a super cute photo of me smiling and sweaty but triumphant and loving running now that I'm a C25K graduate.  However, that would be a seriously fake photo.  I rarely smile while sweaty and I do not yet love running.  I love how many calories it burns.  I love that it's challenging and completely outside my comfort zone.  And I love when I'm successful at doing something challenging and completely outside my comfort zone that burns lots of calories.  But I don't love it.  Yet.  Because I'm still open to loving it if at any point my body wants to decide to make it easier or more pleasant. But for now, I'm still going hoping.

Which is why I paid money for an app to get me to 10K now.

I know. I can't believe I'm still doing this. Almost like, I can't believe I'm going to tell you I made myself a running mix.  Seriously.  I know.  For several days, I was convinced that making the running mix was the dorkiest thing I'd ever done, too.   But I was wrong.   Because while I was writing this post, I realized I'm so proud of my running mix I'm going to have to share it and that totally took the dorky cake.  Enjoy!


My current running mix to successfully get me through 3 miles and the official proof that I am a dork:
1. Some Nights by Fun.  It gets the lead position because it's my current favorite song.  I used to think I should save my current favorite song for the middle to sort of pick me up and carry me or maybe the end where I'm fighting it out to make it the rest of the way.  That is incorrect.  I am a girl that needs a good lead off song.  This is mine.
2. Good Time by Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen. Fun, feel good and a nice beat.  Those are my requirements for second song when I'm starting to feel warmed up and settled in and haven't yet gotten to the point where I'm exhausted.
3. Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne.  I can't believe I actually paid money for an Avril Lavigne song but this one has a fast beat that always makes me run faster without me even realizing I'm doing it.  And this is the part of my run where I start to drag and seem to need to pick it up.  This song has been working well.
4. What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction.  How did this idiotic song get in my rotation and why is it still here.  It's peppy but meaningless and by this point I'm one tired wench and need something angry or emotional to motivate me.  There is nothing angry or emotional about this song.  I just haven't decided on a replacement yet.  For now, at least it doesn't annoy me.  For example, I accidentally ran to Mambo #5 by Lou Vega for like two minutes and it was like nails on a chalkboard for some reason.  Not every song was meant to be run to.
5. Wonderwall by Oasis.  Love.  Love.  Love.  It literally puts me on it's back and carries me sometimes.  For example, Week 8 Day 1 when I genuinely didn't think I had it in me.  Fifty bucks says I never take this song out of my rotation.
6. Free Fallin' by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.  Again.  Love.  Love.  Love.  I could not understand why I'd see this song in so many people's running mixes (Did anyone notice that the previous sentence clearly indicates that I have read other people's running mixes?  What is wrong with me?  That's insane.).  It just seemed too slow.  Wrong.  This song is capable of renewing your will to live mid run.  I'd say I sing along but that would be a lie because, as previously stated numerous times, I am a panting mess while running.  But I sing along inside my head and this one is a keeper.
7. Lose Yourself by Eminem.  For awhile, this was my go to song.  It's the right mix of anger and determination to see you through at the end.  But I've been debating it recently.  For now, it stays.