Treadmill Running: 5K Done!

-- The blessing is outside of your comfort zone. --

 author unknown

Awhile back, I shared that I was starting (or re-starting) my C25K program for the umpteenth time, with a goal of actually mastering it this time. I am super happy to report that, after considerable time getting there, I've now done the 5K treadmill run eight times!

At each level along the way, I've repeated days until the run length has become more comfortable for me. Then I move on to the next level. This always pushes me just outside my comfort zone, but I just repeat the run until it becomes easy. So now I've been repeating the 5K run each time I go to the gym. That 5K timer always seems a bit daunting when I start but sure enough, it gets easier each time.

Being able to run 30 minutes (the length of time it takes to reach 5K) is one of those "personal victory" things for me.  My elementary school gym teacher drilled it into my head that I was "physically unfit" (yes, he actually told me that) and made me believe I would never be able to do anything remotely athletic. Only in the past few years of going to the gym have I started to think otherwise.

I'm going to keep going with this 5K thing because I like the way it feels. Sure, it's good for my body but I believe that it's even better for my mind. And yep, I noticed that there is also a 10K app. I might just look into that, too.

So take that, Mr. Gym Teacher! It only took me 45+ years to remove the negative label you saddled me with and prove you wrong. :)