No One Said You Have to Run

I'm liking this Jingle Bell event more and more. GaryAllenFan and MarthaMac are in. HRGirl is not officially committing, but I'm sure she'll be there. My sister hasn't made a peep, but I'm hopeful she'll grab a couple of ladies from her office or a neighbor and join us.

And I want you to hear me loud and clear:

NO ONE SAID YOU HAVE TO RUN.

Plus, I guarantee that you ALL can walk 3.1 miles RIGHT NOW.

That being said, it would still be wise to put on a couple of miles if you want to make sure you're ready. HR Girl posted this link to a 7-week Mayo Clinic plan that helps you get ready to walk, run, or walk/run the 3.1 miles. I'm reposting here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/images/pdfs/fsm14_5K_run.pdf

The "official" 9-week Couch-to-5K (or C25K, if you want to sound cool) plan is here:  http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml. It, too, uses a walk/run interval process. What I like about this one is that you ONLY walk/run three times a week for 30 minutes each session. And those 30 minutes include a 5-minute warm up and 5-minute cool down. It's easy to fit into busy schedules.

Can't get outside? Here's a treadmill plan: http://www.c25k.com/c25k_treadmill.html. See, no excuses.

And I'm hoping GaryAllenFan or Amber will repost the version of C25K they used for their first 5K. I know they put it in a comment on a previous post, but I can't find it right now.

All of these plans use the basic formula of alternating running and walking where you continually decrease the time you spend walking and increase the time you spend running. But don't get too worried about all of that. Do what you can do. And try to do better the next week or the next workout. Don't have a watch? Use the distance between mailboxes or telephone poles or driveways.

Most of all, remember this: NO ONE SAID YOU HAVE TO RUN. In fact, no one said you even have to walk fast. You're not doing this to "win" something. (I mean, you can if you want, but I'd be disappointed every time if that was my goal, so I just don't bother.)

You see, the race isn't really about the race at all. It's about the training. It's the training that makes you strong. It's the process that makes you healthier. Walking 30 minutes a day, three times a week is GOOD FOR YOU, whether you ever enter a race or not.

The race is the celebration ... the victory lap. It's the fun payoff for your hard work. And in this case, you get to do it in a pair of antlers, with some fun chicks like us and there's a cupcake or beer (or both?) afterward.

What could be better than that?

P.S. Just in case you didn't understand this: NO ONE SAID YOU HAVE TO RUN.