Motivation

It's always easier to work out when you have a workout partner to motivate you.  Recently my wife announced that she plans to run a 1/2 marathon for her 50th birthday present.  "What?" "50th?" "That's like 20 years away isn't it?" Well, no it's not, and with about 18 months to go she took to the popular Couch to 5k program.  Now my wife and I don't work out together but she is still a motivating factor in my life.  I'm very proud of the work she has put in and she's encouraged me to give running a try.  Now, I've always considered myself a swimmer and amateur musclehead.  I have never been a runner.  I did some pole vaulting in high school but couldn't get the big heights because I was too slow to get the momentum needed to bend the pole.  I muscled my way over 12 feet once but spent most practices watching the girls run by while I relaxed on the mats.  So for me to contemplate C25K, in my opinion, was no small task.

Well with my wife as my motivation I started.  I won't go into all of the details but each week you progress and do a bit more. The first week you do 3 sessions or so 5 minute warm up walk, 1min jog, 90 second walk, 1 min jog so on and so forth.  After the first week and being the geek that I am I downloaded the C25K app on my G2 Andriod phone.  It takes all the guess work out of the process, telling when to walk, when to run and how much longer I need to suffer. :) All of this set to music.  On the last day of week 5 I did 5 min warm up walk, 20 min job and 5 min warm down.  I don't think I've run non stop for 20 minutes since I tried out for the High School soccer team(and failed) freshman year.  I'm happy to say I'm kicking some butt, in my opinion.  Now granted.  I'm currently doing this on a treadmill in an air conditioned gym or at home but still I'm pushing myself beyond where I ever thought I could go.  The right music really helps.  

Now I'm on my final week of the program and I've found additional motivation to continue to push myself.  My youngest son recently turned 13 which means he can come to the gym with me.  He wants to lift weights.  So do I but I'm also really pleased with my progress with  C25K so I am doing both.  Every other day we go to the gym.  We start with free weights for 30 minutes or so, splitting our body Upper/Lower each workout.  After each free weight workout I hit the treadmill and he chooses some kind of cardio.  (Bike or Elliptical or Treadmill)  The past few workouts he's chosen the treadmill and this morning he started jogging next to me.  I made him an offer he would possibly refuse but I put it out there anyhow.  "So, if I decided to start over on this program would you like to do it with me?" He said yes.  I'm very pleased.  I'm hoping my older son  might join us too.  I would love to have my boys lifting and running with me.  If they so chose, they could quickly surpass their old man.  (fine by me, sort of) I will finish out my 6th week and then I will start again.  I figure it will be good for me to ease into this a bit more as my shins are pretty sore.  

Next step after this next go round...Bridge to 10k then Hal Higdon's 1/2 Marathon Training Plan .

Thank you to my wife and kids for motivating me. 

Oh and more motivation for everyone out there.  This was amazing to see last night. "Baby Boomers Get Physical"

Remember to always push yourself to compete.
(I've included links to areas I think will help people on their quest to better themselves.  I have no affiliation with these sites, nor do I get any compensation from them.  Just trying to share)