The blog where I reflect on my first week of training

I'm alive. And, I feel pretty good. Contrary to all thoughts I had while my feet trudged on the treadmill, I am here to tell my story and I am better off because of it!


Thanks to the suggestion of  a reader of the blog, I discovered the Couch to 5K training program! It is a very good thing too. I hear that my original plan (to run for an hour and see how I fared) is a serious training faux-pas. 

First Workout: I grabbed my five year old Nike Shox with my name embroidered on them and realized two things.
1. I need new running shoes
2. I used to have really bad taste

Jumped in the car with the incentive of sushi dinner awaiting the completion of my workout and headed to the track at CHS, my alma mater. I arrived and the lights were off! I guess they don't keep the track lit when it isn't football season? No big deal, I was relegated to my treadmill in my unfinished cold basement. Sort of like running outside, right? I didn't have a plan for the rotations of walking\running as dictated by my Couch to 5k plan, so I used my digital Baby G (way more than 5 years old) and got to work. I was amazed at how fast the time passed with my short precise goals. Before I knew it I was doing my 5 minute cool-down walk.

Second Workout: Thursday was actually a really nice day and I probably should have taken the opportunity to run outside, but since I don't have any reflective gear and it is dark by the time I'm out of work I decided to stick to the treadmill until I can find a better option.

(Actually, does anyone have suggestions of where to run for free in Catonsville? I'm hoping for a track because I like being able to measure my distance).

A fellow AmeriCorps member suggested that there are podcasts that correspond with the Couch to 5k training program and I downloaded these. When I queuemy iPod to the Chubby Jones podcast in my basement they hadn't synced! So I listened to my favorite album to exercise to: Owl City, Ocean Eyes. There is something about that electronic beat! Gets my heart pumping...

For some reason my minute jogs seemed longer than they had on Tuesday. I pushed through, doing about 1:03 each jog, just as a challenge to myself. I was glad to be done.

Finaly workout of week 1: As a personal addition to the Couch to 5k plan on my "days off" I have been taking yoga classes at Charm City Yoga. So, I train Tuesday, Thurday, Saturday. And take a hot Vinyasa class Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

This past Friday Chris Blades, owner of Charm City held a really special event. He hosted a 2 hour class to benefit Haiti.

Join Charm City Yoga for a special Midnight Yoga Seva to help raise funds for victims in Haiti. Ask friends, colleagues and relatives who can’t join us to give generously by sponsoring your involvement with a donation of their own. Sarah Cook and Erin Bowers will be leading this 2 hour class. Open for all-levels of experience.

Date:  Friday, January 22
Time:  10 pm- midnight
Studio:  Midtown Yoga Center

This class is donation only.  100% of proceeds will go directly to the relief efforts being conducted by the International Medical Corps. This Charity is one of the highest rated organizations (grade of A+ given by the American Institute of Philanthropy) working in Haiti. The IMC were very quickly on the ground to provide medical help and training to the injured.

 It was a really special class that raised $1569 and had over 70 participants! We were mat to mat and connected with our fellow yoginis in a whole new way because of the proximity of our bodies. The community in the room was so strong, it was very special.

Needless to say, I was a bit sore on Saturday morning, but was excited to finish my final workout for week 1. I had been itching to increase my jogging time, but also very cautious not to hurt myself. My left knee was feeling a bit sore on Thursday and I wanted to be mindful of that.

Saturday's workout was completed without a hitch. During my first workout I didn't feel tired after my minute jogs, but could sense that a minute had passed. On Saturday I finally had my Chubby Jones podcast going and found myself ready to jog straight through her recommendation to switch to a brisk walk.

Tonight I start week 2 of training:
Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
I'm both excited to see my progress and nervous to take on the 30 second additional challenge. A part of me wonders if I shouldn't be accelerating my distance faster, but I want to trust Ms. Jones and also recognize that I am NOT an endurance athlete and need to build up my tolerance.

I'll report back next Monday about how this week went! I'm open to suggestions and motivational quotes ;)

Sarah Wainio
Volunteer Coordinator