Today was the second run following the app. And since this is a new blog I’ll start with how we have found starting the runs.
The first one was tough, especially for my sister (T). T hasn’t done any exercise in over 10 years, so this is harder for her than me, I have some fitness due to cheerleading however my body hates me. I have Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome so my joints aren’t that great, and hurt a lot of the time. I also have an old ankle sprain that will hurt from time to time, especially when doing exercise similar to running, also tight calf muscles. So as hard as it is for my sister to do it because of fitness, it’s just as hard for me because it hurts.
If you don’t know what couch to 5k is, it’s just an app that talks you through a run, building you up to run 5k. It’s great for non-runners and has timed jogs (60 second jog/90 second walk) and it builds you up to eventually be able to run 5k.
During our first time out, my sister needed to stop after the 3rd jog, so we walked through the rest of the app. I feel I could’ve carried on but I’m here for my sister and I don’t want her to feel like I’ve left her on her own.
Today was day 2, and we completed 5/7 jogs. My calf cramped up badly and so I spent one of the jog/walk sections to stretch it out. If anybody has any tips for really tight calf muscles do let me know! Today felt like a massive accomplishment. It was cold and windy and usually, I’d say no. I hate being outside in bad weather. We did more than day 1 and got each other through it.
Before the run, I felt tired and exhausted. My mood was really low, I’ve been struggling with work lately, I’m not enjoying my job and it’s chucked me into a bit of a depression. After the jog, I felt a bit happier, more awake and so proud of myself and my sister.
Our next planned jog is Monday.
First Time 5k runner 