10k Runner

My entire life, I've found it damned difficult to run distances.  Since my days in grade school where we performed the 600 yard walk/run for the President's Council on Physical Fitness test, to distance running we needed to perform for football, I hated it.  I was bad at it, and I've continued to be bad at it my whole life.  Perhaps it is because I'm far more of a fast twitch person, or perhaps I was just weak and/or lazy, but my distance running experience and performance has been scant.

But as I've moved to get myself in better shape, one thing seemed universal - those in truly great shape ran.  Certainly there are exceptions to this, but to me it certainly seemed the rule.  Hence, I needed to get off of my life long aversion to running and figure out a way to do it.

The first place I needed to start was with a goal, and it seemed that a good goal would be to participate in a run.  Since my company is a major sponsor of the Bellin Run (a famous 10k in the Green Bay area) and since the run was a 10k (a distance that felt achievable), it seemed to be a good goal to have.  Pus, since it would be conducted in June, it would give me the time I'd need to be able to get into shape to run the 6+ miles.

But where to start?  And that's where the 10k Runner app comes in.  Downloaded for my iPhone, the app is a 14 week process that takes a runner from the couch to a 10k by combining running and walking to build strength and stamina.  

Thus far, I'm in week 7 - about half way through the process.  And I've found the following:

• The slow, stair step process has been a wonder.  When I started, the app had me walking a minute then running a minute over and over again.  And, slowly, the amount of time spent running has increased, and the amount of time walking has decreased.
• I'm now running 25 minutes straight.  I'm not fast, mind you, but this was something I could not have done just a couple of months ago.
• I'm running over 2 miles a session right now.  Prior to 10k Runner, the most I ever ran in my life was a mile.  And that was in High School.
• My body has totally changed, and it is most noticeable in my legs, which are substantially thinner and much more toned that when I started this process.

I have a long way to go to get to a 10k.  But I feel like I'm on a good path, and my confidence as it applies to running has never been this high.   

I strongly endorse this app for someone wanting to train for a 10k, especially if they are a non-runner to begin with.