Don’t worry there won’t be any pictures of me holding out a baggy pair of trousers away from belly like Barry Bethnal with a caption like “I’m Barry Bethnal & I lost shit-loads of weight” but I just wanted to show anyone that is thinking about starting the C25K that if a self confessed couch potato that couldn’t run for 1 minute 3 weeks ago can do this then anyone can.

You may recall I mentioned in the previous post, that the “Get Running App” has 3 runs to perform each week , so because I am running 5 days a week I get to dip my toes in the following weeks run.

When I first tried the week 4 run, I felt gutted that I failed on the first occasion, but rather than feel sorry for myself I always made sure I paid it back by doing an additional short run at the end. By the end of this week though, I’m proud to say that week 4 of the app has now been mastered and over the moon that I am now running for 16 minutes of a 28 minute run.

As I progress on the Couch Potato to 5k program, I do wonder how I will cope with the longer runs, but one lesson that is quickly learned, is just how fast the human body adapts to your new regime. The highlight of this weeks runs was when Claire said with perfect timing during the intro of Bitter Sweet Symphony “you have ten seconds until your next run” I needed no further encouragement than that song, the five minutes whizzed by and I loved every second.

This was a massive turning point as I completed the run, I was actually enjoying what I was doing and it felt great. Never underestimate the power of your mind or music for that matter and if me rambling away isn’t enough to inspire you then spare a few minutes to watch this video.

When I have to run for a train now, it feels fantastic that I don’t spend the next 5 minutes coughing and trying to catch my breath, but most importantly I enjoy it and actually feel better, which can only be a great thing. Eat less but but move more is all that you need to remember and don’t let a massive failing diet industry tell you any different.

No more kit has been purchased this week, I have a pair of running shoes and a great running playlist, what more could I possibly need? Sometimes it is hard to believe in this media fueled 24 hour society, that life really is that simple but you know what? it really is.

Have no fear though, I still enjoy a good old fashioned Cadburys Cream Egg and a few JD and Coke’s over the weekend, so there is no chance of me ending up “boring” just yet, after all the secret is everything in moderation and that includes moderation 🙂

For those of you that are considering giving the Couch to 5k app a run-out, I believe that it is now available on both Android and iPhone, so if you can squeeze 30 minutes out of your day, why not give it a try. You will feel more alive than slouching in your chair watching the One Show, I can guarantee you that much.