Linda,

Welcome and congrats on your 1 mile walk, let me ask you? you say you never ran before, hardly ever exercised before, and just got your butt off the couch 8 weeks ago and you walked a mile. Girl I dont know what planet your from but i would say thats a great accheivement to say now you can walk a mile....You should be proud of what you have done.

Dont worry about what everone else does there will always be people healthlier, stronger, and faster than each of us, the only thing that should matter to you is YOU.

Just Imagine in 8 more weeks what you can accomplish thats what you need to see your goal as, not as comparing to someone else, thats no fair to you!!!!!!!!!

Im very proud of you and you have nothing to be ashamed about, youve spend 8 hard weeks getting there from where you were.

everyday you do alittle more your alittle closer to that healther you, and that is the goal.......

Congrats, Great Job!'

Dennis

Linda,

Welcome to this wonderful community and to the sport of running.  We all started someone and are in many different places in our journey as runners.  You have nothing to be ashamed of...you are at the beginning.  Enjoy each phase of the expeience but most of all, don't give up.  Starting slowly and consistently will allow you to enjoy the benefits of the sport with little injury.  You made a choice to get off the couch....good for you.  Everytime you lace up your sneakers you'll be making a great choice, no matter how fast or slow you go.  When I started, I read a lot of posts here and a lot of training suggestions and worked them into my plans.  It's a lifestyle choice not just an activity.  I choose to live the life every day, sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it but I still choose to do it because the way running makes me feel makes it worth it.  You too will find your reasons to continue for you and that will make it worth it.  Be proud of yourself....I am very proud of you and that mile is a huge accomplishment.  Many people can't do that and now you can....

RUN ON!

Cyndi

Being able to do aerobic exercise for 20 min straight, and just 5 weeks after starting out - sounds like significant progress to me! Rest assured you will get faster as you get more fit and as your training progresses.

Linda,

It's all about the attitude... and it sounds like you've got it! Of course, everyone needs a little encouragement every once in a while. A friend of mine who, like you, started from the couch just a about a year ago, has now completed two half-marathons. She is not fast, just persistent. She recently signed up for a 10K that my wife and I were going to do with her. As the date of the race approached, she received a call from someone from the race asking if the expected finish time that she put on her registration was a "mistake". It was not a mistake. The race representative then informed her that, unfortunately, they did not have a walking permit from the local police department for the 10K and asked her to change her registration to the 5K, for which they had a walking permit. She then informed the representative that, in fact, she had not intended to do any walking! Well, she ended up in the 5K anyway and she was not super happy about it. However, she has a great attitude and decided not to let it bother her.

At the end of the race, we met her at the finish line and she had a somewhat disappointed look on her face. We knew that she had come in a little quicker than her goal time, so we were confused as to why she looked so down. We finally asked her and she responded, "I kept getting passed by a 90 year old man. I'd speed up to pass him, but then in just a little while here he'd come again!" I told her not to worry about it and said that he has probably been running for 40 years. There was no need to be ashamed. She said, "It's not that he was old. I've been passed by older people before. What's humiliating is that he was carrying a cane!" Once she started laughing, we all realized that she hadn't been disappointed at all, but was setting us up for the story, which, by the way, was true.

This event just added to her collection of running adventures that she loves to share with anyone who will listen. Incidentally, this race was also her husband's first race. Her perserverance and positive attitude inspired him to get up off the couch and get moving as well.

BB

If the 5K had a "walking permit" but not the 10K, it could've been because there was a time limit on the 10K. Some races have (and enforce) time limits because they need to reopen the roads to traffic by a certain time. Usually if there is a time limit, the website or application form will state what it is.

I love your attitude, Linda.  I was a 46 year old empty nester when I started to run.  My first 'mile' only measured out to a 1/2 mile, I could not believe that is only how far I went when it felt farther.  Eventually, I built up to a mile then two.  Then I started getting into 5k then 10k races.  Once my family couldn't see me finishing a race from a distance because I was right in front of the firetruck which was sweeping up the end...dead last!!    My size 22 neighbor saw me and also started running.  We became friends and started training together.  Our persistance and hard work paid off.  I am proud to have finished my first marathon at the age of 52 in Detroit along side my fit neighbor.  We now run about 25-30 miles a week.

Just getting out there and doing something active is an achievement in and of itself.  Go tell ten people you know that you ran a mile and I guarantee you they will be in awe.  Keep up the great effort and I'm sure you'll do well in your first 5k, again to the amazement of your friends and family, many of whome never considered running that distance.