Welcome to the group! This a great group of newbies that I am so happy to be a part of! I think doing a 5K in Oct, if you start this week, is doable. That is my goal, to do a Susan G. Komen 5K race mid-October. If you need to, or think you have to, definatley do some walking before starting the program. Just listen to you body and you'll be fine. Also, keep in mind that if you need to repeat a week, feel free to do so. A podcast is basically an audio program. The ones everyone talks about here is great to listen to on an mp3 player as you run. You'll hear a voice between each of the intervals to remind you that your brisk walk is done and it's time to jog again. It's motivating and helps me keep track with the timing.

Hope this helps!
Kat

If I have to repeat week one then that's what I will do. If I have to repeat it twice then that's what I will do. I am really wanting to do this and I want to be able to eventually do the Freihoffer's Woman's run with my daughter. That's a goal for myself.

Thanks about the podcast information. I think that will help a great deal and if it it has music to it even better for me.

I appreciate the encouragement. It is something that I definitely will need.

Karen

I love reading everyone's posts. They really put me in a good mood!! Nice, upbeat, motivational. I kind of wish you guys were more than just my cyber buddies!!! Haha, that was lame.

My motivation? I'm mostly running to replace bad habits with good ones, so knowing that I've avoided succumbing to my bad habits for a week (!!) thanks in part to my running schedule has kept me on task. In addition to that I seriously like listening to Robert's podcasts and after my runs I feel like I've accomplished a ton. Even though going from W1 to W2 (today was W2D1 for me) is only a minute more in running, it's still more and I'm still getting better! While I'm running I occasionally think about how cool it will be to be able to run for three miles non-stop or to be able to do a 5K when ever I want to (within reason, I'm sure).

Funny that you talk about an outfit as motivation! This morning I was at a coffee shop with my family after chruch and the guy (who was very cute, might I add) behind us was wearing a shirt from a 5K in our area. I started thinking about the first time I'll get a shirt like that and actually will have earned it and, no joke, I started running as soon as I got home. I also got a really cute sports bra the other day and am looking forward to the day when I can run in just my jog bra and shorts. Wow, my cockiness will have gone through the roof at that point.

All in all, I just really want to be in better shape. I'll be 20 in the beginning of September and have been telling myself for quite some time that I really should be working out regularly once I'm 20 (even used it as an excuse not to work out at times "but I'm only 17!"), so I was originally going to start then. Now I'll be nearly done with C25K by my birthday September 3 and am pretty sure that I'll keep up with working out if I'm already in shape.

And finally, knowing that there are a bunch of people online that cheer me on (without realizing it, I'm sure) and are going through the same stuff I am (questions, pain, tiredness, etc etc) keeps me going too. I love reading about when people achieve another goal and really enjoy posting about mine too. I'm proud of myself for making it through W1--I was thinking about that today as I was warming up, that I actually stuck with something, on my own motivation, for longer than I typically do.

After all, the joy's in the journey...right?

-Kristin

Small victories you know.... I made it ALL THE WAY THROUGH week 2 day one! I am so amazed at myself right now. I really didnt think I could do it and although it was a small victory, I feel like I can do anything right now!

Today I just kept thinking about how lucky we all are. We are strong and healthy, we are ABLE to run, maybe not for a long time but we are getting stronger and better each time. What a wonderful gift that so many people are taking for granted!

Sarah