8 weeks later...

I wrote quite a while ago about starting the Couch-to-5K program. I may have mentioned it a few times since, but I haven't done a very good job of keeping you up to date on how it's going.

Well, now I have a verdict for you: the program absolutely, positively works.

How do I know?

A picture's worth a thousand words:

Yours truly, crossing the finish line.

Look at me go! (Yes, I'm still excited about this.) And this, folks, is only a few days after I completed the last workout in Week 8.

I have to say, I've learned a lot from this experience. I never thought I was the "running type," and I still don't know that I am. But I'll tell you what I'm not: I'm not the quitting type. I like to finish what I've started. And although there were several times when I thought things like "It's cold today. Do I have to run?" or "I'm tired; maybe I should walk the rest of this set," I didn't give up. I decided after maybe two weeks that I'd put too much time and effort in to just stop, or to not do the workouts correctly. And in the end, it all paid off.

I've had other experiences where I pushed myself to the limit (see this one on drum corps, for instance!) but this was different. In most of those other situations, it was me against something else--another person, another organization, etc. A good part of drum corps is mental (and therefore individual), true, but ultimately it's a group sport out there.

Running a 5K was different. Yes, I was competing (and I even beat people) but for me it really wasn't about the other runners. It was me against myself. The whole race was a fight for control--over my feet, over my lungs, over my thoughts.  I didn't set a record or win an award, but I kept my feet in check, controlled my breathing, and at least in my book, came out on top.

I'm glad I did it...and I'll probably do it again!

The winners' circle!