My First 5K Run – I’m Off and Running in 2025
Jogging in January
I’m off to/for the races in 2025 (for my first 5K run hopefully)! I started the new year fresh and ready to go, high hopes and healthy, committed to being a better (physically anyway) me! Life required a bit of travel early in the year and I had the chance to run a few times in mid-January (I was away from my “home base” and somewhere it wasn’t excessively cold outside), and I made the most of the opportunity to lace up, get out, and put some metaphorical distance between my talking about running and actually doing it. Had to start somewhere, and this was it, so here are my first three runs of the year:
First Goal – 1 Mile
My goal was simply to cover a mile. Similar to my prior years’ efforts, I started out again with the intent of walking for 1 minute, and then running for 1 minute, alternating as best as I could (note: I would set the timer on my phone for 1 minute and just use that to start/stop/restart, and I tell you it’s amazing how many times in one minute you can think that your phone has turned off and/or isn’t working properly).
These are the run/walk intervals of my efforts (data from MapMyRun / see my review: JR:MapMyRun)- and what I can tell you is that even at my quickest pace (7:14), I’m barely going faster than a brisk walk, and I am still having a hard time getting that first full/deep breath that I’m relying upon to make sure I don’t pass out (and I do have very real thoughts about just laying down and taking a nap on the yards I’m running/walking past, but I’m sure that wouldn’t go over very well for all parties involved). Needless to say, I’m not expecting to win any medals any time soon, but hey.. at least I was out running in January.
Breakthrough Event – Bought a Treadmill
Easy Access – No More Excuses
Upon my return home, in continuation of my intent/desire to “be a runner”, my thoughtful and loving wife bought me a treadmill, and from that day on- every time since that I use it, I don’t know whether to thank her or curse her. I no longer had the “stand-by” excuse that the weather precluded/prohibited my ability (as in opportunity) to go for a run. I was now free to succeed or perfectly positioned for utter failure.. exactly where I wanted (or in actuality, really needed) to be. Encouraged and committed, I set out to make the most of the unfettered opportunity that I now had at my disposal, and made good (albeit not perfect) use of the treadmill through the end of the month- here are my TM (treadmill) runs for January:
Sticking to the basics, searching for a rhythm.
Even on the treadmill I continued my practice of walking/running, typically 1 minute for each turn, but gradually increased running durations as best as I could (note: the intervals posted are far from perfect as the display on the treadmill alternated through a time/distance/calories sequence, but I tried to be as consistent as I could). What I also started doing after a few runs was keeping track of how long it took to complete a mile, and then how long my entire workout lasted along with the total distance, so I had a better/more detailed record of my efforts. I was targeting for longer times, hoping/anticipating that at some point the distance vs. time/effort interval paradox would overlap and I would be covering a mile in a single sustained run. My typical “walk” speed was 4.0 mph (I think that’s what the treadmill readout meant), and “run” was anywhere from 4.4 to 5.2 mph. I still anticipate slow growth, but with the easy access, an interesting questions now is- will I eventually complete my first 5K run (practice anyway) in my basement or the great outdoors?
Month 1 – Training is in the Books.
So quick recap- Month 1 (January) completed.. with 9 outings (vs. 22 to all of last year), and a total runtime of a bit over 2¾ hours, I covered 11.83 miles (vs. 12½ hours & 42 miles for all of last year). Seeing as how it’s the dead of winter in the NE where I live and over ¾ of my total distance was accomplished in the last week of the month (once I got the treadmill).. I’m going to put a big green circle around January on my calendar, color it in, and consider it a positive beginning and a reasonable start to getting myself on the road to my first 5K run..
