couch to 10k.

I used to consider myself "a runner".

It took me a long time to get to that belief, because prior to that, I would NEVER have thought I would have the where-with-all to jog consistently.

Over the COVID shut down and in the months to follow, I started doing a virtual 5K each month.  Prior to this, I would do some jogs with my sisters-in-law, my girls, and a few friends...but I never had a plan for interval running or building my endurance.  I never really trained or took the time to be intentional with what I was putting into my body to fuel it in a healthy way.

Instead, I just showed up to the races with my crew and walk/jogged (I call this "wogging") the entire thing.  

As part of my "before 40 bucket list" though, I want to be able to jog a 10K without stopping.

According to my "couch to 10K" plan, if I start today, this should happen around September 16th.  So on that date or maybe September 23rd, I'm planning to run my 10K.

I haven't decided if I'll do this here in my hometown or make it a real "event" and go find an actual race in a neighboring town.  There are several that time of year, including one in St. Joseph, Missouri, one at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, and the Kansas City Zoo Run -- which I did several years ago and really enjoyed (until I injured my hip at the very, very end).

Here is the Week 1 expectations for the Couch to 10K plan I am using this round.

Because I'm also participating in 75 medium, I need to build in some sort of physical activity for 45 minutes each day.  Therefore, I'll use this plan as three of my days, but my "rest days" might be taking a walk, doing some strength-training, or repeating one of these training sessions.

Here is what I'm thinking my week will look like:

I'll start today (Monday) with some interval training as my "Run 1". 

Tomorrow (Tuesday), I'll probably do some sort of strength-training for 45 minutes.

Wednesday, I'll move on to "Run 2". 

Thursday, strength-training. 

Friday, Run 3.  I will definitely be doing Run 3 on Friday because I'll be near Warsaw and their nice paved trail by the lake is my very favorite place to run.  I'll share a few photos below that I've taken through the years as I am running there.  

Over the weekend, I'll likely do a nice relaxed 45-minute walk on Saturday morning and again on Sunday evening.  

We also have some farm clean-up projects planned for this summer, 

So I'm sure I'll be getting some physical activity in every weekend moving and carrying things. 

I saved this image last night, as I was reflecting on all the things that will make my "before 40 bucket list" successful. 

I'm going to print it and hang it in my office at school and my office here at home.  I think I'll even use it as the background on my cell phone over the next nine months.  It's a good reminder that small habits today will grow into real, lasting change in the future.

Guess I'd better head out for "Run 1" on this beautiful Monday morning.

Lacing up my shoes here at the farmhouse,
Hannah

❤️🏡❤️