I'm Running a 5K in 2013

Susanne is a 20-something nurse who had lap-band surgery at Penn in 2012. In this blog post, Susanne discusses her one goal for 2013, and how she is planning on achieving it.

You can read more about Susanne on her blog, Purl Before Swine.

My goal for 2013? Run a 5k.

I know, ambitious, right? I’ve been working with a personal trainer at my local gym since August and I feel pretty strong these days. Not necessarily skinny, but strong and capable. I felt that I had accomplished quite a lot just by sticking to my weekly meeting with my trainer for 6 months and I was getting bored with my cardio routine. In December, I felt that I needed a goal to keep in mind while on the treadmill.

My goal is to participate in the Color Run in Philadelphia this summer. I chose this particular run because it is advertised as an event for all ages and abilities. It is supposed to be a fun, happy event intended to make you feel good about yourself. The best part? All participants wear white t-shirts and colored powder is blasted at you at certain checkpoints along the race-course, ensuring that you finish the race in candy-colored, rainbow glory.

The smartest thing I did in choosing this goal was to tell other people about it. In telling those nearest and dearest to me, I raised my level of commitment to my goal. I also enlisted a few others to participate with me as my teammates for the Color Run, thus enhancing my chances of achieving my goal.

To prepare for the run, I am using an iPhone app called “Couch 2 5K” – it is an 8-week program that gently eases you into running by engaging you in interval training. Each week consists of 3 workouts where you alternate walking with jogging for various amounts of time. Gradually, you begin running more and walking less until, voila!, you are a runner! I am on week 2 – stay tuned for my progress over the next 6 weeks.

Easy Ways to Stay on Track for Your New Year’s Goals

1. Pick something that excites you. Please do not try to conquer your fear of brussels sprouts or force yourself to love kale.
2. “Go big or go home” is a stupid saying. Make sure your goal is realistic and can be achieved within a relatively short-time frame (think: 3-6 months) or you will lose interest.
3. Tell people you trust and who care about you what goal you are working towards. This is key – you want to enlist support and encouragement, but you want to avoid snide remarks from your pesky coworkers or other people who don’t have your best interests at heart.
4. Enlist people to participate in your goal, if applicable. Fitness is always more fun with friends (think: walking club, dance class, yoga instruction) or a cooking class could help you gain confidence in changing your eating habits.
5. Celebrate your achievements along the way and at the end! Every time I go to the gym, I put a sticker on my calendar (don’t underestimate the power of stickers, even as an adult).
6. When I finish the Color Run, I plan on celebrating with a healthy brunch at a favorite restaurant.

What are your goals for 2013?