So this fall I picked up a new hobby and started running. I thought it would be a great excuse to get myself outside during the winter and make winter suck a little bit less. Also exercise is good and shame on me for waiting 25 years to start. I did Couch to 5k which I would certainly recommend to anyone wanting to get into running. It’s a program that starts out alternating between walking and running, increasing the amount of time spent running each session. In about 2 months I went from being unable to run for more than a minute or two to being able to run a 5k. I kept running all winter when the weather permitted and can now run pretty close to 10k.

When I got started I went thrift store shopping and bought every manner of cold weather athletic wear I could find. I soon realized that even when it’s freezing, I wouldn’t need the down jacket to keep me warm but put the sweats to good use.

Now that spring is getting close I’ve decided to do something I never thought I’d want to do. Later this March I’m running in a 5k. It’s a big step for me. The last time I ran with a group of people for the sake of competition was in high school when we had to run the mile once a semester. Back then I spent most days hiding in the bleachers trying to read during PE and barely cleared a 16 minute mile. I still run slow, but I enjoy it now. My average 5k speed is about 36 minutes. Since I hadn’t been able to run much last month due to weather, I’m setting a realistic 5k goal of running the entire time without stopping. I mailed off the application today and went thrift store shopping again, this time to find everything I’d need to run in the spring and summer. Not only did I find everything I wanted for running (armband, shorts, capris, tank top and massage ball), I lucked out and found they had new bike tubes for super cheap. I stocked up and bought several of the size my bike tires take. Bring it on warm weather!