Saturday, January 19th, 2008...8:06 am
Running Milestone Achieved
One of my 43 Things Goals is Run 1 Mile Without Stopping. I’ve also got 2, 3 and 5 miles. But you’ve got to start somewhere, so 1 little mile is the first goal.
I’m in week 4 of the Couch to 5K program (see my cardio page for more info) which means the most I run at any one time is 5 minutes. I’m currently running at a 12:45/mile pace, which means when I do run I’m not even running for a half mile.
I didn’t exercise yesterday morning so when I got home from work the first thing I did was hop on the treadmill. I decided that rather than do my normal 5 minute warm-up walk and interval running and walking that I was going to go for that first goal. I was going to run a mile.
So I strapped on my heart rate monitor, laced up my shoes and hit the treadmill. And I ran. My heart rate got up into the 160s a couple of times, but really once I got into a groove it wasn’t that bad. Quarter mile gone. Half mile. Three quarters. And there it is - I completed my goal of running one mile without stopping.
But why stop there? I felt pretty good - could I go for two miles? Inconceivable!
So I decided to run for up to 15 minutes. And when that passed, to get to 1.25 miles. I was still going strong, time to push for 1.50. At this point my thighs were feeling it. I could have quit and been very happy to achieve my goal. But I couldn’t stop now, I was so close. 1.75 miles. A lousy quarter of a mile to go. One ring of red lights on my treadmill. My thighs burned. My heartrate was touching 170.
But I had written this goal down, and I looked at it every day. And it was in sight. So I pushed on.
And damn if I didn’t hit the 2 mile mark after running for 25 minutes, 34 seconds straight.
3 miles would have to be saved for another day.
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23 Comments
January 19th, 2008 at 9:35 am
That’s awesome! Good job jumping right through the first milestone and hitting the second. It only gets easier the more you do it. Keep it up!
January 19th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Wow! That is fabulous, John! What an awesome accomplishment! You should be SO proud of yourself!!!
January 19th, 2008 at 9:47 am
Look at you! Demolishing the first goal and plowing right on to the second one. Awesome job!
January 19th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Excellent!
I could feel through your writing that you were unstoppable.
Determination and follow through…way to go!
Keep knocking out those workouts,
Coop
January 19th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Awesome job John!!! I’m very happy for you! I might have to go visit this 43 things website now… on to the 3 miles my friend… YOU CAN DO IT!!!
January 19th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Way to go, John!
Goal setting, and goal achievement… they go hand in hand and you feel so-o-o-o good when you achieve the goal.
I’ve got all the faith in the world that you’ll achieve every fitness goal you’ve set.
Loved the way you told the story, too.
Shari
January 19th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
John, you are a legend.
I’ve started the C25K program as well and hope to emulate your achievement. You are an inspiration.
January 19th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Awesome! You are always such an inspiration! Feel great about your accomplishment. If ya think back to just a few short months ago and where you were then… this is a big deal!
January 19th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
John, you’re awesome! I wish I have such determination too.
January 19th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
That’s damn impressive, John! A tip o’ the hat to you!
January 19th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Fantastic accomplishment! Don’t just meet the goal: obliterate it! Well done!
January 19th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
So exciting! Keep it up John!
January 19th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Congrats bro!
January 19th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
WOW!! Thats just fantastic! I’m in such awe.
January 20th, 2008 at 4:23 am
Well done, I am also in a Couch Potato to someone being active phase. I was stoked when last week I walked for 30 minutes, then 45 minutes, then 60 minutes. I went for another 30 minutes and then decided that I would stop. I sure did feel it the next day, but was at it again within 2 days.
Unfortunately since then there has been cats and dogs falling from the clouds, and as I do not have a treadmill I have been very restricted, I did though blast some cob webs free last night with a brisk and mostly up hill walk. I am also going to go for another walk after dinner.
January 20th, 2008 at 5:10 am
That’s freaking awesome! Way to go!
January 20th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Congratulations!! I have some running goals of my own on the back burner, so this was really an inspirational read.
January 20th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Wow, that’s great. Keep up the good work………………………..:)
January 20th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Absolutely outstanding! Onward and upward!
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:34 am
[...] recently that I was a legend and an inspiration. OK, I’ll accept that when I do things like run two miles I might be an inspiration to some, but a legend doesn’t eat cookies like I’ve been [...]
January 23rd, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Congratulations! What an awesome accomplishment.
April 19th, 2008 at 11:03 am
[...] been doing really makes it tough when you try to get back on the horse. So where I had jogged a couple of miles straight back in January, I could not even muster a quarter of a mile today. Granted, I had a 25 [...]
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:52 pm
[...] the first case the inspiration was an action that I took, and presumably how I wrote about it. In the second case the inspiration was not a [...]
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