C25K Motivation

I wanted to share my story with you!

Tomorrow I do my final work out of the c25K program!!!



My boyfriend - who, like me, is overweight, doing myfitnesspal, and doing a c25k program... but he has been running for about a year kinda doing his own thing - talked me into running because he loved it so much!

After week one of my training, I loved MY RUNNING WORKOUT... not RUNNING... but the whole experience. I loved getting up early, being out doors on the trail (we have a great series of rail-to-trail trails in our area... lots of peaceful time in nature), and the feeling that I just accomplished something.

But I was in pain every night, to the point where I couldn't sleep. I wasn't injured, just sore because my legs weren't used to that type of activity - in highschool (i'm 31, btw), i played slow pitch softball and i had a pinch-runner because once i got to 1st base, my left leg was in so much pain, i couldn't go any further!

After week 4, day 2 i was crying my eyes out to my boyfriend begging him to tell me when it would quit hurting and start being enjoyable! So I started doing some research on ways to make it 'better' for me. Here are my secrets:

1. EPSOM SALT!!! At night i dump a ton of it in a hot bath and soak for about 15-20 minutes, and then go to bed. my legs still feel a little sore when i wake up, but it's to good kind of sore... the 'things are happening' sore... not the painful sore. Also, there is an epsom salt lotion that is great for use through out the day. A fellow overweight runner told me about it... i didn't believe that it was all she said it was, but i tried it anyways and am now an unoffical spokeswoman for the stuff! better than bengay, i swear it!
2. Hydrate properly. Not just water, but gatorade. G2 has less calories. Or - I found this stuff at a vitamin store called cytomax. you mix a scoop or 2 with water. Tastes pretty good and really helps. All of that electrolyte talk is real! I like to drink 8-10 oz before i leave for my run and either carry a bottle with me, or keep one in a little cooler in my car so it's nice and cold when i get back. I can honestly say that on the days when i've tried going with just water, i've struggled.
3. Learn to pace yourself. The point of a c25k program is to complete it... not to set a time record! If you're only running 17 minutes per mile, who cares. you're running. you weren't running a month ago. one day my boyfriend and i went running together (we were to run 25 minutes straight that day). he walked a good part of it while i was still 'running', but we were still neck and neck. i didn't care that i was slow as moses cause i was doing it! me, who couldn't make it past 1st base made it 25 minutes!!!
If possible, run during the coolest time of day... morning is best for me. the heat and humidity (not sure where you're from, but i'm in the pittsburgh area where it gets up to around 90% humidity during the summer) make it much harder to breath. and speaking of breathing...
4. learn to breath properly. this has been the key for me. i found out that most of the pain during running is because my muscles werent' getting enough oxygen because i wasn't breathing right. check out this article: http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/running-air-breathing-technique. i swear by it. in a nutshell, breath in for 3 steps, out for 2. deep, belly breaths in (using your diaphragm), and use a little more force than normal to push the air back out. the biggest benefits are that your muscles get more oxygen and you alternate which foot strikes the ground at the moment of exhale, which prevents injury. The author, Budd Coates, has a book written called 'running on air'. i bought it for about $10 on my nook and read through it just before beginning week 6. I tried it on my first 20 minute run - which scare the living crap out of me - and i finished with ease!

I hope some of this stuff helps. bottom line, yeah, it sucks right now. but give it at least until the end of the program before you truly make a decision about whether to keep it up!

I have a confession to make. I hate running; especially as a fat person.

The only time I ever enjoyed it was when I was about 100lbs in high school and I felt like I was flying when I ran.

Now, I feel like a lumbering fat humpty dumpty. Everything hurts, my boobs want to abuse me, my feet swell, my joints ache. ugh.

I was thinking about starting C25k today but I think I will wait until I am smaller. I will keep up with the weight training and other aerobics.

Don't wait. Start now. It will help you reach your goals and you will feel better and stronger. Don't put off something you can do today!!!

Running really is mind over matter...half of your mind is yelling "quit" and the other half is saying" keep going", you choose! Set small goals, challenge yourself, and reap the reward!

^^ THIS. But I think it's true with ANY exercise program. What's that saying "Even slow progress is STILL progress".

Well said chocl8_757girl!!