Couch to 5K: "KISS OF DEATH"

So, I've been making alot of progress with the Couch to 5K program, except for the fact I'd been so tired since I began the program 5 weeks ago. I continued to feel so drained of energy that I decided on Tuesday to go the doctor to have some tests run. Low and behold, turns out I have MONONUCLEOUSIS. Yeah...like also known as the kissing disease, EBV, or mono for short that most people get in high school. EW! Well, that explains why I've never gotten the energy high from running and Zumba!! It also means the end of my running program, at least temporarily. You see, most people don't know when you have mono you aren't supposed to run because you can have an enlarged spleen (from the mono infection). If you have an enlarged spleen and you play contact sports or participate in strenuous activities (aka running) you can rupture your spleen!!! And bleed out and die!! How horrible! So, in the meantime, I dream of running and I'm stuck like a sitting duck. Of course this would only happen to me! I pick a 9 week running program for the first time in my life, and halfway through it, I get mono. This is a temporary blow to my athletic plans, but still a kiss of death in the running world. Oh well, guess I'll rest up...

Couch-to-5K: Week 4

I started my forth week of the Couch-to-5K program, and let me just be honest...yesterday I had my first session of the week and I nearly died. No exaggeration. I was red-faced, sweating profusely, falling on the ground hyperventilating, and people literally gave me a width berth in which to die a slow and painful death. No exaggeration. Today, I had my trusty and dependent jogging partner, Abbey, with whom I don't like to look weak, so surprisingly the session was MUCH easier today. LOL! No one wants to be the quitter, so you keep pushing on and on, and eventually you've completed the jog. Viola! I can't believe we're halfway through the 5K training program, and to be completely honest I know it's gonna be much harder in the weeks ahead...


Such a great accomplishment thus far though, I can run a 1/2 mile straight no problem (for several intervals too)!! Two months ago, I would get super winded after jogging just a 1/4 mile, so I'm definitely progressing!! I love how great I feel after each run too. I'll admit at the beginning of each week I actually get really nervous, my heart speeds up, and I get knots in my stomach just thinking about the next weeks session. I don't want to quit or fail, but I've never made an athletic goal before and sometimes I have doubts as to whether my body can push hard enough to finish. A very wise woman told me today, "I love running because the only thing that can hold you back is yourself." Well, she's so very right! I can do anything I put my mind to, and I decided long ago to do this 5K race. So, cheer me on as I leave my doubts in the dust!!! No pain, no gain!!!

When I run, my tongue hangs out of my mouth like this too ;)