We are more than half way into our training plan toward our first 5k, with less than 2 weeks to go until the race (on Saturday, October 27th) and I have to say that so far, we’ve made some great progress. When we started just a couple of weeks ago, even the thought of running made my muscles ache. But we’ve gone from a simple 1 minute running / 1 minute walking cycles covering 2.7km in 24.5 minutes to 8 minutes running / 3 minutes walking (for 3 cycles) to cover 4.7km in 37 minutes (including stop lights). And in the last two weeks, we’ve covered over 25km, which actually doesn’t include all the extra walking we do when we take Ayla for a walk or when we go sightseeing.
I’ll try to remember to share my run updates on my NOH Facebook page instead of just my personal one.
There have been days when we just didn’t feel like it, when it was pouring down rain or when we just had other things to deal with instead — but we have managed to push through anyway, only skipping one day so far — and making up for it on the days before and after but running a bit extra (once on purpose and once because we just couldn’t count very well). 😉 When you get out there and start running, it’s like your body just takes over and your brain begins to clear. And regardless of what has happened over the course of your day, you’re just at peace with yourself and the world when you’re running.
In a way, it’s a bit like rock climbing in that you have to keep motivating yourself and pushing yourself forward. It’s really only you and the rock when you’re up there. But since Stefan and I are currently able to train together with our running, we can help each other through any tough spots also — or drive each other forward when it’s raining or the day has been really long and we don’t feel like doing much of anything. I think it’s really quite important to have a partner for running, especially if you’re training for an event, so you have someone else to hold you accountable.
What’s cool about running in Berlin is that there is so much to see along the way. So we can run around the Tiergarten and see things like the Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz and more — once we’ve built up our endurance a bit. And everything is relatively flat which makes it a whole lot easier on us. There are a lot of cobblestones and stoplights to contend with in certain parts, and pushing Mack in the jogging stroller gives us quite an extra workout, which can definitely be hampered by all the bumps in the road. But for now, while we’re out less than an hour, it’s still kinda fun for Mack. As we start moving into multi-hour runs and it keeps getting colder outside, we’re sure that Mack is going to have more fun at home with a babysitter for a little while instead of being pushed along by us. But it will also be really interesting to see how well we do when we can both fully run without the stroller (we alternate back and forth as we run as far as who gets to push), like in the first run, since it seems likely that our natural pace will be a bit faster without the extra weight.
photo credit: San Diego Shooter via photopin cc
Running for our Health
My husband and I are both slowly moving into our mid-thirties, and it becomes more and more clear ever day that if we don’t do something now to take care of ourselves, we’re only making it harder. As you mature, it becomes harder to form muscle and lose weight — but it’s not nearly as difficult to maintain what you’ve already built up. So all this running is part of a bigger plan to get healthy. Plus we want to set a good example for Mackenzie as well.
It’s not that we’re overweight or anything like that. Heck, I’ve only got 15% body fat. And we’re rarely eaten as much freshly prepared food with quality ingredients as we have here in Berlin — not to mention we’re almost entirely cut fried foods out of our diet. But we’ve been talking about starting an exercise program since we moved here, and just never managed to get around to starting anything. We do walk a whole lot more than we ever did before, but we haven’t implemented anything for strength training. In many ways, I think we were just lacking the immediate motivation needed to get going. Which is what makes it ideal to be training for the Berlin Marathon, but have little stepping stones along the way to help prepare and guide us…and bring the goals closer.
I always really thought I detested running, having never done it since school when we were forced to run, which I really hated. But the more we do it, the more I realize that it’s actually a sport I could enjoy well into the future. And the fact that you can do it nearly anywhere with very little equipment certainly can’t be beat.
Is it time for you to make a commitment to your health and start living differently? Or are you already on your way to becoming a better you? What’s your sport of choice to make that happen?
