Put Your {Running} Shoes On!

Time to find your shoes!

Where are your shoes?

Please put your shoes ON!!!

Sound familiar, mommas?

Well this actually is NOT a post about the kids. The tables have turned, and this time it’s about YOU – ICMB readers and ME!

It is time for US to put our running shoes on!

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Here’s the Challenge: Couch to 5K

And the Goal: Blogger Dash 2014

I can hear the excuses already…. I don’t run. I’ve never run a 5K. I couldn’t even run 1 mile. It’s too hot out. I don’t have a babysitter. But please keep reading, and hear me out!

Let’s get a few things straight…

Am I in shape? Sadly no.

Am I a runner? Not at all.

Do I exercise regularly? Not even close! Could I run a mile right now? If my life depended on it – I hope I’d survive!

So clearly I’m not a running coach or fitness instructor trying to talk you into running. Nor did Kaitlyn and Sara (ICMB Co-Founders) put me up to this.

So where did this sudden interest in running come from you ask?

Flashback to Blogger Dash 2013My friend Janelle and I (both pregnant) signed up to walk the ICMB 5K. We walked. We talked. We pushed strollers. We finished LAST. Dead LAST! It was a GREAT morning!

And we said, next year our babies will both be 8 months old. We will be working on shedding the baby weight, and we are totally going to run the Blogger Dash.

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Back to present day… Have you ever talked about doing something next year with a friend? Then next year rolls around, and you wonder…does she remember? What was I thinking when I agreed to that?!?!

Does Janelle remember we said we’d run? … Yup! (Oh *#@%!!!)

So here’s the motivation – I don’t want to look totally LAME and back out due to all of the above said reasons about not being a runner. And I’ve decided YOU – ICMB readers, should do it with me! I don’t want to be the only newbie runner. We can do this together!

Also, my husband and I just booked a vacation for next spring. Which means wearing a bathing suit. The extra baby weight needs to go bye-bye. And lets be honest, chasing kids around is a workout, but actually exercising is pretty important for health reasons.

Now’s the time to start getting ready for race day. We have 8 weeks from Saturday. And guess what! There is a handy dandy little app you can download for FREE to help us with our C25K goal. (Actually, there are several apps. I chose this one.)

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The program is ONLY 3 days a week for half an hour. We will be doing a walk/run interval program to gradually increase our running distance. And in 8 weeks, we will be ready to RUN in the Blogger Dash!

Now who’s with me? I’ve never been a running coach, but I was a cheerleader in high school. So if you need me to, I can bust out a cheer for ya!

Buckle Down! (clap, clap)

Snap to it! (snap, snap)

You know you can do it if you put your mind to it!

Buckle Down! (Stomp, stomp)

Are you ready now?

  • Go download the FREE C25K app.
  • Dust off your running shoes. Or if you need new ones, head to Running Wild. It’s where I got mine and they will do an awesome job getting you fit with a comfy pair of tennies! (BTW, coincidently my pal Janelle and I have the exact same running shoes!)
  • Bust out that jogging stroller that you had to have, that you’ve only used like 3 times.
  • Invite a friend, neighbor, or your husband to join you for training sessions.
  • Make a playlist of your favorite music.
  • Decide what 3 days of the week you are running. Schedule your date with the pavement!

I am seriously encouraging you to participate in this journey with me. Don’t think too much about it – that’s when the excuses start building up. Just put your shoes on and head out the door!

For some added support and motivation, join our Facebook page, Blogger Dash Couch to 5K. This is a place to connect with other newbie runners. I am going to share my running progress and invite you to do the same.

And on Instagram use #bloggerdash2014 and #icmbc25k. We can help each other achieve this goal.

Come on mommas! Let’s C25K together, and I will see you at Blogger Dash 2014!!!

Experienced runners… Can you please give us newbie runners any advice or tips?  Thanks!!

Shari
Shari is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Cedar Rapids with her husband Mark, 2 boys and a pug named Yoda. Her toddler and preschool age boys keep her very busy. She loves warm Iowa days for playing outside with her family. In her "spare time" Shari enjoys quiet activities like crafting, browsing Pinterest, learning photography, creating family photo books and watching favorite shows with her husband. She also loves Iowa City Moms Blog and her MOPS group for the connections with other mommies!

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