My first 5K aka: Woah, I’ve started to enjoy running!

I ran my first 5K last evening. Not in the official “a 5K race” sense and I did it in run/walk intervals, but it were 5.000 meter after all. But I had set out to manage that, after the first few runs I did were around 2.500 – 4.000 meters. On every previous run my run/walk intervals were timed ones, like run 2 minutes or 2:30 minutes / walk 30 seconds. Running with a FitBit (Charge HR) is a wonderfully easy way to keep track of those intervals, but doing it on time required me to do more complicated math than I’d liked while I was running. Especially as I tried out various length of the intervals. Like run 2 min 45 seconds, walk 30 seconds, which brought me to a time of 3:15 min. The next walking break will then be at 6 min. Then 30 seconds walk = 6:30 min. Add a 2:45 run interval makes…?!?!? Ugh. Too annoying to do in my head.

So last night I decided to try distance intervals and when I realized I could easily do longer intervals I varied those as well. But keeping track of distance was much easier, because it’s only 3 digits on the FitBit display. Run from 0.00 – 0.40km. Walk 50 meters till 0.50 km, run 450 till 0.90 km and so forth. Last night I did the following variation of run/walk intervals (in meters)

400 / 100
400 / 100
450 / 50
450 / 50
500 / 50
550 / 50
750 / 100
1000 

Voila, my first 5 K. Holy Crap! If anyone would have told me earlier this year that I would voluntarily and kind of easily run 5 km, I had laughed and said: “No way! I hate running!” I’ve always hated running when I had to do it during P.E. in school. It’s strange how joining My Peak Challenge has recently changed that. It’s not just about the activity as such, but the fact that I feel more confident or at least less self-conscious about being seen doing any kind of physical activity. Outside. Possibly seen by other people.

Yes, I’m still slow and yes I’m probably not the most graceful runner to look at, but what the heck? I am being active. Doing something that’s good for myself. Good in the long run, but even right away, because I definitely feel very good about myself each time I’ve finished another (longer) run. And I consider the intervals stated above good ground to work with from now on. Run for longer intervals and walk less until I maybe someday run the 5k without any walking breaks.

Me? A runner? I still need to readjust that image in my mind! But I like it :-)

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