When I started this blog, my plan was to document how hiking helped me get in shape. But, in February of 2013, I decided to take my weight loss and exercising to the next level.
While at work one day, Jaci called and asked if I was interested in doing a 5K with her and some people from her work. As with everything I do, I’m either into it 110% or I’m not into it at all. So, when I agreed to do it, I immediately found training information online.
I played sports my whole life. So, even though I was weighing in at around 320 pounds, I was confident in my ability to get out and run on a consistent basis. In order to get motivated, I kept reminding myself that I used to run 5 miles a day. But, the truth was I had spent far too much time on the couch and I was going to have to start by taking is slow.
I started by jogging a quarter mile, walking a quarter mile, jogging a quarter mile, and walking the final quarter mile on my first “one-mile run”. I did that for the first week, which meant that I “ran” on Tuesday and Thursday...and rested on Wednesday and Friday. The training also called for me to “run” on Saturday or Sunday, but weekends are reserved for hiking…and I figured, if nothing else, that would serve as good "cross-training".
My plan for the second week was to jog a half mile, walk a quarter mile, and jog the last quarter mile. But then the northeast got hit by a massive winter storm and I wasn’t able to run at all. I did, however, continue to get exercise because it took me an hour or so each night of the first week to dig out our driveway and sidewalk.
My plan for the third week was to jog three quarters of a mile and walk the last quarter of a mile, but that got put on hold due to the leftover snow as well.
So, by the time week four rolled around, I was forced to jog a full mile without building myself up the way I had wanted to. The results weren’t too bad…but I wouldn’t have been able to do more than a mile after that first run.
It wasn’t long before week four turned into week twelve and I was ready for the 5K. Below is a list of distances and times over the course of my training. I would recommend this training schedule to anyone looking to get off the couch and run for the first time. If you’ve never run a mile before, I would suggest that you not skip weeks two and three like I did…unless, of course, you don’t have the choice.
Week One, Tuesday – .92 Mile (¼ mile jog, ¼ mile walk, ¼ mile jog, ¼ mile walk) – 11 minutes, 57 seconds
Week One, Thursday – 1 Mile (¼ mile jog, ¼ mile walk, ¼ mile jog, ¼ mile walk) – 12 minutes, 51 seconds
Week Two, Tuesday – 1 Mile (1/2 mile jog, ¼ mile walk, ¼ mile jog) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Two, Thursday – 1 Mile (1/2 mile jog, ¼ mile walk, ¼ mile jog) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Three, Tuesday – 1 Mile (3/4 mile jog, ¼ mile walk) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Three, Thursday – 1 Mile (3/4 mile jog, ¼ mile walk) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Four, Tuesday – 1 Mile (Full Mile Jog/Run) – 10 minutes, 44 seconds
Week Four, Thursday – 1 Mile (Full Mile Jog/Run) – 10 minutes, 41 seconds
Week Five, Tuesday – 1 Mile (Full Mile Jog/Run) – 10 minutes, 15 seconds
Week Five, Thursday – 1 Mile (Full Mile Jog/Run) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Six, Tuesday – 1.5 Miles (Jog/Run) – 16 minutes, 35 seconds
Week Six, Thursday – 1.5 Miles (Jog/Run) – 16 minutes, 17 seconds
Week Seven, Tuesday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Seven, Thursday – 1.5 Miles (Jog/Run) – 16 minutes, 55 seconds
Week Eight, Tuesday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – 24 minutes, 55 seconds (12:28 per mile)
Week Eight, Thursday – 1.5 Miles (Jog/Run) – 15 minutes, 10 seconds
Week Nine, Tuesday – 2.5 Miles (Jog/Run) – 28 minutes, 25 seconds
Week Nine, Thursday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – 20 minutes, 50 seconds (10:25 per mile)
Week Ten, Tuesday – 2.62 Miles (Jog/Run) – 28 minutes, 48 seconds
Week Ten, Thursday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – 20 minutes, 52 seconds (10:26 per mile)
Week Eleven, Tuesday – 3 Miles (Jog/Run) – 35 minutes, 5 seconds
Week Eleven, Thursday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – 21 minutes, 6 seconds (10:33 per mile)
Week Twelve, Tuesday – 3 Miles (Jog/Run) – 32 minutes (10:40 per mile)
Week Twelve, Thursday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – 20 minutes, 40 seconds (10:20 per mile)
As you can see, my overall time per mile between weeks nine and twelve didn’t change all that much. But, I felt a lot better when I was done. And, on the day of the 5K, I finished in just over 33 minutes. Overall, I was happy with that. And, the best part, from early February through late April (over the course of the 12 weeks) I lost 20 pounds...and weighed in at under 300 pounds for the first time in years.
While at work one day, Jaci called and asked if I was interested in doing a 5K with her and some people from her work. As with everything I do, I’m either into it 110% or I’m not into it at all. So, when I agreed to do it, I immediately found training information online.
I played sports my whole life. So, even though I was weighing in at around 320 pounds, I was confident in my ability to get out and run on a consistent basis. In order to get motivated, I kept reminding myself that I used to run 5 miles a day. But, the truth was I had spent far too much time on the couch and I was going to have to start by taking is slow.
I started by jogging a quarter mile, walking a quarter mile, jogging a quarter mile, and walking the final quarter mile on my first “one-mile run”. I did that for the first week, which meant that I “ran” on Tuesday and Thursday...and rested on Wednesday and Friday. The training also called for me to “run” on Saturday or Sunday, but weekends are reserved for hiking…and I figured, if nothing else, that would serve as good "cross-training".
My plan for the second week was to jog a half mile, walk a quarter mile, and jog the last quarter mile. But then the northeast got hit by a massive winter storm and I wasn’t able to run at all. I did, however, continue to get exercise because it took me an hour or so each night of the first week to dig out our driveway and sidewalk.
My plan for the third week was to jog three quarters of a mile and walk the last quarter of a mile, but that got put on hold due to the leftover snow as well.
So, by the time week four rolled around, I was forced to jog a full mile without building myself up the way I had wanted to. The results weren’t too bad…but I wouldn’t have been able to do more than a mile after that first run.
It wasn’t long before week four turned into week twelve and I was ready for the 5K. Below is a list of distances and times over the course of my training. I would recommend this training schedule to anyone looking to get off the couch and run for the first time. If you’ve never run a mile before, I would suggest that you not skip weeks two and three like I did…unless, of course, you don’t have the choice.
Week One, Tuesday – .92 Mile (¼ mile jog, ¼ mile walk, ¼ mile jog, ¼ mile walk) – 11 minutes, 57 seconds
Week One, Thursday – 1 Mile (¼ mile jog, ¼ mile walk, ¼ mile jog, ¼ mile walk) – 12 minutes, 51 seconds
Week Two, Tuesday – 1 Mile (1/2 mile jog, ¼ mile walk, ¼ mile jog) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Two, Thursday – 1 Mile (1/2 mile jog, ¼ mile walk, ¼ mile jog) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Three, Tuesday – 1 Mile (3/4 mile jog, ¼ mile walk) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Three, Thursday – 1 Mile (3/4 mile jog, ¼ mile walk) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Four, Tuesday – 1 Mile (Full Mile Jog/Run) – 10 minutes, 44 seconds
Week Four, Thursday – 1 Mile (Full Mile Jog/Run) – 10 minutes, 41 seconds
Week Five, Tuesday – 1 Mile (Full Mile Jog/Run) – 10 minutes, 15 seconds
Week Five, Thursday – 1 Mile (Full Mile Jog/Run) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Six, Tuesday – 1.5 Miles (Jog/Run) – 16 minutes, 35 seconds
Week Six, Thursday – 1.5 Miles (Jog/Run) – 16 minutes, 17 seconds
Week Seven, Tuesday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – No Time/Did Not Run
Week Seven, Thursday – 1.5 Miles (Jog/Run) – 16 minutes, 55 seconds
Week Eight, Tuesday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – 24 minutes, 55 seconds (12:28 per mile)
Week Eight, Thursday – 1.5 Miles (Jog/Run) – 15 minutes, 10 seconds
Week Nine, Tuesday – 2.5 Miles (Jog/Run) – 28 minutes, 25 seconds
Week Nine, Thursday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – 20 minutes, 50 seconds (10:25 per mile)
Week Ten, Tuesday – 2.62 Miles (Jog/Run) – 28 minutes, 48 seconds
Week Ten, Thursday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – 20 minutes, 52 seconds (10:26 per mile)
Week Eleven, Tuesday – 3 Miles (Jog/Run) – 35 minutes, 5 seconds
Week Eleven, Thursday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – 21 minutes, 6 seconds (10:33 per mile)
Week Twelve, Tuesday – 3 Miles (Jog/Run) – 32 minutes (10:40 per mile)
Week Twelve, Thursday – 2 Miles (Jog/Run) – 20 minutes, 40 seconds (10:20 per mile)
As you can see, my overall time per mile between weeks nine and twelve didn’t change all that much. But, I felt a lot better when I was done. And, on the day of the 5K, I finished in just over 33 minutes. Overall, I was happy with that. And, the best part, from early February through late April (over the course of the 12 weeks) I lost 20 pounds...and weighed in at under 300 pounds for the first time in years.