3 minute run and hello 244!

3 minute run

Today was week 3 day 1 of c25k. I’m not going to lie. I was pretty freaked out when I woke up this morning. I had picked my place to run: Ruston Way. I picked an early time of 7am. The city in which I live (Tacoma WA) rarely wakes up before 9 on Sundays so I thought it would be a fairly deserted place. I needed something other than the track at the college and the geese that inhabit it to look at. I picked the waterfront for it’s calming effect. I got up earlier than anticipated (running anxiety) and tried to put it off as long as I could (hello facebook). Finally at 6:25a I posted on my FB that I would be on the waterfront in 30 minutes. Nothing like making a statement to the world (or at least my 183 friends) to motivate you into moving. No going back to for me. I was right about the calming effect of the water. I was wrong about it being deserted. At some point in this journey I was going to have to face my fear of being seen trying to run and just let people see me. Today would be that point. Here’s the jist of what happened:

• Five minute warm up – goes well. I walk like a pro!
• 90 second run – I know I can do this so no problem there.
• 90 second walk – see above
• 3 minute run – I pick a point way off in the distance and go for it. “I will not die from running 3 minutes” is my mantra. Other runners go by (much more professional looking that I could hope for) and they give me the “runner’s” wave. They don’t point and laugh. They don’t stop me and say “hey maybe you should just go home”. They smile. Maybe they remember what it was like to be where I was. Maybe they too used to be 100+ pounds overweight. They include me on this Sunday morning and before I know it Robert Ullrey (podcast) is telling me the first 3 minutes are over. It’s over. I did it. For the first time in my life (at least the last 30 years) I run longer than I ever have. What I thought for sure was impossible was possible. I just ran 3 minutes.
• 3 minute walk – I look behind me and I’m surprised how far I went. I wonder if maybe I should turn around and do the second half of this on the way back. I decide no. I keep going in the direction that I’m heading. Taking me farther away from my car and that much more work to get back once I’m done.
• 3 minute run – The first one down left me feeling elated. Doing the second round was a little harder. I’m tired (but not too tired). I’m sweaty (but not too sweaty). Again I pick a point and go. 3 minutes later I’ve finished Week 3 day 1.

Now the long walk back. A walk of triumph. Just to prove to myself that I did in fact run, I run a little more. Not too much. Just enough to remind myself of what I just did and what I can do again (on Tuesday). I get back to the car and snap a picture. Sweaty and Proud!

Hello 244!

Home all sweaty and in need of a serious shower, I undress and then think to myself “Self, I know you did your weigh in yesterday (246.2) but maybe just hop on and see what you see”. So I did just that and this is what I saw:

I don’t know the last time I saw this weight. I won’t use this as my official weigh in weight but man it felt good to see this number. If it sticks by next Saturday then I’ll have officially lost 20 lbs since December 29th. If this sticks I will have lost 1/5 of the total weight I’m shedding on this life journey. For the first time in my life I’ve lost weight just by eating less and moving more. No Atkins, No pills, no starvation, no binge / purging.

Just the purpose to change a way of life!