Run Melbourne Part 1 (Before)
As I sit here munching away on a chocolate chip & peanut cookie, I’m contemplating the fact that it is only three sleeps until Run Melbourne.
My first EVER running event. The first sporty thing I’ve participated in since high school.
I am getting nervous. 6 months ago I couldn’t run to the end of my block without passing out on the pavement. And now I’m going to run 5km with a billion other people?!
HALP!
I have never been the sporty type. I was always the kid that was picked last for sports teams at school because I was short, weak and uncoordinated. I was quite serious about ballet for a while (Mum was a dancer with the Australian Ballet), but quit at age 13 after my ballet teacher told me I’d eaten too many Easter eggs over our break. At the time I would have weighed just over 40kg.
Like most people, the amount of regular exercise that I was doing gradually decreased after I left school, until I was a typical 20-something who worked full time and said “oh I don’t have time to exercise”. But every time I declared this to friends/colleagues/family members I secretly wished that I was one of those people who could say “Oh yes, I get up at 5am four times a week to run” or “I just HAVE to exercise, I LOVE IT”.
One day while sitting at my computer being a lazy bum, I saw someone tweet about the Couch to 5km iPhone app. I must admit that it was the ‘couch’ aspect that initially caught my attention. The idea is so simple: a nine week running program that gradually advances from 60 second jogging/90 second walking intervals to one 5km run.
After dragging my butt through the very first C2k5 training session, the idea of EVER completing 5km seemed totally ridiculous. I have never been a runner and I really struggled with the 60 second intervals. After nine weeks of training three times a week, I was running 5km with no rest.
To many people I’m sure that a 5km run would be a breeze. But I am really proud of myself for achieving something I never thought I could. :) Someone suggested to me when I was first starting C25K that I should enter a fun run to celebrate completing the program. At the time it seemed like a ridiculous goal that I would never achieve.
For the last few months I’ve been attending the Run Melbourne training at Federation Square. Running in a group has been brilliant, and is something that I’d love to continue doing once Run Melbourne is over. Oh and there’s the raising money for charity part – almost $500 for Ardoch Youth Foundation. Woo!
I’ll be running on Sunday. I would love to complete the 5km in half an hour. Wish me luck!
Run Melbourne logo courtesy of www.runmelbourne.com.au
Food gobbler. Wine lover. Kitteh keeper. Gen-Y. Fiancée. Twitter addict.
Fighting the war against Leggings As Pants one fashion victim at a time... 
I couldn’t say everything in a tweet! What i wanted to say was – Good Luck, it’s always nerve racking the first run but after reading your post, i am sure you will be hooked! Might see you on the finishing line!
Good luck! <3 And … reading this entry was heartwarming. :)
Good gurlfriend! I am doing the 5K too. Your story really resonates- I am the same- unco, no one picked me in the sports team, even down to the whole hellish ballet teacher thing! (Though my mum is not a ballet dancer- she would just wanted me to have the opportunity).
2 years ago I did my first run event @ Run4thekids and I almost died running 5.4Ks. Since then I’ve been fun runs until I kinda stop and went travelling and eating :P
But, I’m back and I’ll be doing the 5K Run Melb also. So good luck, enjoy your first run, don’t tweet or you will fall, run fast so you can grab stuff from the sponsor’s tent before it runs out!
You should be really proud of yourself :) I did my first 5km fun run a couple of years ago and it was fantastic – it was so exciting to be a part of something positive! I’m not a natural runner by any means, but I’m doing my first half marathon on Sunday – very nervous! Good luck!!
Good Luck!
I also have a friend doing it. I would like to do it… NO where near fit enough. Maybe I’ll strive for next year!
Claire: Good luck for Sunday! Might see you there
Minuteforce: Very kind of you to say, thank you.
Piggy: Thanks for the tweet tip! Come say hi if you see me! Look for the blue hat :P
Kristy: You have inspired me to eventually try a half marathon. Thank you!
You should be so proud !
I’m sure you will do great on Sunday.
And I’ll let you know, that you have inspired me – I’ve just downloaded the Couch to 5km app. Whether I actually get around to doing it, well that’s another thing :P
Goodluck on Sunday – be sure to report back how you go !
Shelly: I’ll run with you if you do it next year!
MissStella: That’s awesome that you d/l the app – you will love it I promise.
Less tweeting, less blogging and more running! :)
Congrats Miss M! So proud of what you have achieved, and so should you be! I started running and though I am starting slow, I agree with everything you say – I never dreamt i would be able to run 5 mins let alone 5kms! Good Luck on Sunday! xx
Tom: Good advice. Not going to happen though.
Sarah: Thank you my dear! Keep me posted on how your running is going. Maybe we can run together next year :)