C25K sounds catchy. Very cool, very "txt".
But seriously, the "Couch-to-5K" program is anything but lazy. Couch potato to runner in 9 weeks.
Really?
How C25K Works
The concept is motivational. Take your average lump on the couch and give them the tools to transform themselves into someone who can run 3 miles. Without stopping. Or crying.
Each week follows a format that is clearly laid out for you.
Week 1 is all about moving--overcoming that inertia that keeps you on the couch.
Walk briskly for 5 minutes, alternate 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking for 15 minutes, for a total of 20 minutes.
That's it. Repeat 3 times during the week.
Week 2 just keeps you going. Increase the jogging to 90 seconds and the walking to 120 seconds (2 minutes). Jog a little more, walk a little more to offset it.
By Week 9, brisk walk for 5 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of jogging or 3 miles, whichever comes first.
That's it.
Download the app for your iPhone or Android--free.
Then what?
Then, it is up to you.
Personally, I'm going to enter a 5K race with the goal of completing it. My next goal will be to enter another, and try to do a little better. And another, until I can really say I have a new hobby. A healthy hobby that is getting me in better shape and increasing the quality (and hopefully length) of my life.
I think my knee will be strong enough by then to let me get back on a bike. Once I do that, something like this will happen.
I'm going to keep running, too. There are other programs out there to help you move up to 10K, half-marathons and more. And we all know what "more" means, right.
The fact that I can even seriously see myself running in a race is a huge change of mindset for me. I'll finish this year at with my 50th birthday, and I'll be a runner. What have I done?
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