W1D1

...of the Couch to 5k is complete. I heard Robert Ullrey's "Congrats" at the end of the podcast for the first time and boy did it feel good.

This is so huge for me.

For some reason it was much easier than previous attempts.

The weight loss may have been a factor, but I've been scouring the internet for tips on getting through it. The two that really helped were:

- Don't be afraid to breathe through your mouth. It can pull in so much more air than your nose and the last thing you need when trying to run is a restriction on your air.

- Slow Down! It's not a race. The objective is to jog, distance doesn't matter.

I don't know if the new shoes helped physically, but in my mind, they were bouncier than my old shoes. I wore moleskin over my heels to make sure no blisters formed (an old trick from backpacking).

As for other gear, I'm sure I looked ridiculous. I wore my 70oz motorcycling camelbak (the stripped down one compared to my 100oz hiking one) with an old phone beltcase from the early 90's strapped to it on the front (for my phone/mp3 player and a portable water bowl (just in case) for Lucy on the back.

Speaking of Lucy, she barely broke a sweat, although I spent two running intervals carrying a bag of poo.

I plan to do the 2nd workout on Thursday, perhaps on the other side of Meyer Park. BF and I are going to a party on Friday night, so if I bring my gear to his house then, I should be able to do the 3rd workout at Memorial Park on Saturday morning. A change of venue will be nice.