Statement and question.

1. I am smelling like sunshine after bathing in Lush products today. Wheee!

2. Any of you couch to 5k? I am thinking about starting and would welcome suggestions/tips. BTW, I hate running.

le nubian, I have yet to finish (or even get past about week 3 before quitting), but the things I know about Couch to 5K: There are several handy apps for your phone/ipod/whatever, that are nice because they will show you and/or interrupt your music when it's time to run/walk. Apparently you may try to run fast during the run parts, but you should not, and should instead go slowly. And lastly....just go ahead and sign up for a 5k. Or two or three. Gives you something to look forward to, but even if you can't run the whole thing (or plan it for the middle of your training) you can still run and walk and get a perfectly fine race in. There are always walkers, so you won't be last.

My massage therapist was just telling me about Couch to 5K, and her only recommendation was to make sure you actually have the right amount of time in between when you start it and the 5K you've signed up for. She's a couple of weeks short.... BUT! Was thrilled with herself for running for five minutes in a row the day before.

Philadelphia I am in you! Or rather, I am in your international airport for the next 5.5 hours.

I have found a plug, figured out the wifi, and now I need to find these things were there is a comfy chair...

2. Any of you couch to 5k? I am thinking about starting and would welcome suggestions/tips. BTW, I hate running.

I concur with meara, although I don't do the formal Cto5K thing.

I will say that (a) most people start running far too quickly, and you should pace yourself really slowly, at least to start. Also (b) the best way to make sure you get out there regularly is to have a running partner. Anyone nearby who will be willing to meet with you a couple times/week?

I swear the only reason I'm not in therapy this year is because 3 times/week I meet with my sister for 40 minutes or so and slog up a bunch of hills. We get to bitch about work and our parents, and it's better than therapy because it comes with endorphins built in...

Also, if you hate running, consider trying something else? Bicycling (stationary or not), zumba, etc?

I swear the only reason I'm not in therapy this year is because 3 times/week I meet with my sister for 40 minutes or so and slog up a bunch of hills. We get to bitch about work and our parents, and it's better than therapy because it comes with endorphins built in...

That sounds so smart. I mean, I wish you didn't have to do it, but it's a great solution.

When we move into the new apartment, I'm going to be walking eight blocks to work and back every day, which is more regular exercise than I've had in forever.

Gosh, I wish I got endorphins from running. The only exercise I have ever gotten an endorphin rush from is giving birth, which is hardly a practical regular workout plan.

Gosh, I wish I got endorphins from running

Well, I don't usually feel great while I am running (unless I'm in really good condition, which hasn't happened in a while); but I definitely feel better and have a better attitude about life after having run. So I figure that's the endorphins, I dunno.

Instead of doing the Couch-to-5K thing I decided to just start jogging (slowly - I used an app that finds music that matches my pace and that keeps me pretty steadily around 3 mph) for 30 minutes, and that seems to work for me. My plan is to gradually increase the time, and presumably I will eventually speed up as my conditioning improves. Switching between running and walking seems harder to me. Especially since I love my Vibram Five Fingers and they make me feel all springy on my toes, and walking in them is actually less comfortable than running.

Except I have haven't done it in a while because my work, while not strenuous, is active enough to make any kind of exercise on days I work (or days after I work, sometimes) seem like not a good idea. But I'm going tomorrow morning!

I'm about to give up the notion of ever doing a marathon again. I had the foot surgery for the bunion pain, and now the foot doctor says my new foot pain is arthritis. I did walk home from work yesterday, about 1.2 miles, and often bike to work (like today). Since I am on the 3rd floor I try and do the stairs at least a couple times a day.

Thing is, I am a mile from the beach. Really no reason not to catch the sun rise or moon rise, like daily. We have a lovely beach with a great fishing pier. No excuse. So maybe no more 26.2 in my future, but a regularly schedule couple of miles on the beach would be good.

Like flea I think the only time I ever got the endorphin rush was childbirth, and so not going there again.