Brittany- Week 1 Day 1.

First and foremost, I am NOT a runner. Let me reiterate this point. I do not run. All through Junior High and High School I was "sick" each week on the day we had to run the mile. I hated running. I despised the sun. I am always hot. Always. Running does not come naturally to me. An eighth grade knee injury, allergies galore, and a bit of asthma have always stood in my way. I have never desired to run. For years my trademark catchphrase was, "I don't believe in unnecessary physical activity." Running? I don't believe in it. I am that girl. I always have been. No point pretending I'm not. But somehow my viewpoint has changed.

One thing I do love is food. And when I say I love food I mean I really, genuinely love food. I love to eat. I love to cook. I love to bake. I love to grocery shop. I love farmer's markets. And I believe in fresh, local, and organic. That's not to say I don't believe in sugar. Lord, I believe in sugar. And butter. Oh, butter, you heavenly creature. And cream cheese. And cookies. And ice cream. And this list could easily became endless. Let's just say that I am by no means a health freak. I just believe in our environment, I believe in doing things that are good for our bodies and our earth. I believe in making good choices. I'm just a little lazy when it comes to those choices.

So, how did I get here? Well, I guess the starting point would be earlier this year when my grandma, who is one of the most important people in my life, had a stroke. She is my world. She is the most amazing woman I've ever known. She's hilarious. She's stubborn. She's bossy. She's fantastic. And I love her. The outcome was good and she has recovered well, but since I cook the majority of the meals she eats, I took it upon myself to make those meals a bit healthier. I stepped foot into Whole Foods. I started filling our house with fresh, local, and organic produce. I started reading about healthy food, foods the prevent strokes, and ways to cook veggies in sneaky ways. And I started taking short walks around the block with my sisters. Those walks got longer and longer until 2 miles felt like nothing. Then, a few weeks ago I heard about the app Zombies, Run. And I was intrigued. I am a lover of Zombies. My boyfriend and I decided to try it out. By last week we were walking 4 to 5 miles a night. I've had several friends mention C25K recently. It kept coming up. I've been reading and loving Katilyn's blog. It all sounded so positive that I figured, why not? And thus I found my way here.

Last night I downloaded the app. About 9pm my boyfriend and I set off on our first night of C25K(walking/running at night...that's how I avoid my distaste for the sun). We started off good, by about halfway in I was getting tired. The allergy/asthma thing had me winded fairly early. But we pressed on. He was suffering from shin splints, as I was panting and reminding myself to breathe. We probably looked hilarious to passers by. Especially when we started yelling at the voice coming from the app. "Now let's jog." "God, I hate this stupid chick, whyyy is she torturing me?" I may have called her a few names. But I finished it. I finished all thirty minutes followed by a slow, one mile walk home. And I hated it. I hated the panting. I hated my sweaty boobs. I hated getting so tired. But I loved it. And my love far outweighed my hate. I loved knowing that I could do it. I loved the challenge. I loved the way I felt afterward. And so I....we...shall press on. Go again. Keep trying. Hopefully one day in the not so distant future I will be a 5k-er instead of a couch-er. If you're even remotely considering trying C25K, but you think you can't do it...you can. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Ready.....set....go!