Runnin'

So I, Hart, started running about a little over 6 weeks ago. And I figured I'd share a little bit about it with y'all.

I decided to start running because I really wanted to be doing something active and ultimately lose some weight. Prior to Vanessa becoming pregnant we both were on a running program called "Couch to 5k". The idea behind it is to train an inactive person (aka a couch potato) to run a 5k by easing you into it. The reason so many people don't like running is because when they start doing it, they jump in at full speed, and so they end up getting hurt or too warn out and give up. But if you ease into it, you can actually grow to like it. The way it works is you run 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Each week it becomes more challenging. And each time it breaks it up by having you run and walk. In the early weeks you walk a lot more than you run. But that shifts as the weeks go on, to where by weeks 7 and 8 you are running for 20+ minutes straight. Finally at the end your goal is to be able to run for 30 minutes straight. Anyways, when we first started this routine I hated it. But as the weeks went on I started getting to where I enjoyed it.

Anyways, like I said, we were doing that before the pregnancy. We got about 1/2 way done, and then I think we both got sick so we had to stop temporarily, then it started getting really cold, and then eventually Vanessa became pregnant, so we just completely stopped. (lame I know). But, fast forward to the beginning of this new year. I had that "new years resolution bug" and wanted to start working out. But I'm not a member of a gym, and in the past I haven't had the discipline to stick with doing at home work outs. Then it hit me. I should start running again. Running fits my personality. I'm good at repetition. I like the occasional task of doing something over and over and over, and being able to just zone out while I do that and listen to music/sermons/books/etc. Running is something that allows me to do that.

There was a catch though. I really couldn't leave the house and go running. I'm not an early riser, so I wasn't going to get up before Vanessa and Micaiah to go run. Tuesday and Wednesday nights I'm at bagpipe lessons and music practice at church, so that ties up most of those evenings, and on the other week nights Vanessa really doesn't want me gone because I can help with getting dinner ready/take care of Micaiah/etc. So running right after I get home from work wasn't an option. And I didn't want to go running after dinner and after Micaiah went to bed because at that point it's getting late and I really just didn't want to go running when it's real dark. So I was discouraged. What could I do???

Then I had another thought: My parent's have a treadmill.

I proposed my solution to Vanessa, and initially she agreed to letting me set it up on the screened-in porch. I talked to my parents, and they were willing to let me borrow it for a while. We packed it up and brought it to our house, and then Vanessa had a change of heart and said we could set it up in our living room.

So, as I said at the beginning of this post, I've been running for a little over 6 weeks now. I have an app on my iPod Touch that is called "Ease into 5k" and it uses the couch to 5k program. It's a pretty neat app. It will sync up with my music and play my music while I run, but will turn my music down and alert me at certain times as to what I need to be doing (walk or run), for how long, and also give me updates (i.e., 1 minute left, half way done, last run coming up, etc).

So, that's my introduction to running. I'll post again in a couple days and share with you some really cool headphones I recently bought for running (normally $100, but I got for $37!!!), and I'll also introduce you to the wonderful world of BAREFOOT RUNNING where shin splints are now just a distant memory.