This was Week 3 of the "couch to five kilometres" programme, and today I completed the third and final run of the week. So that's three weeks, nine 'runs' down, and six weeks, eighteen 'runs' still to go. It's certainly getting more challenging, and at the same time, I can continue to 'stagger' (running might be a bit of kind description) at around 165-170 strides per minute for longer periods of time, especially when I fail to hear the 'app' tell me to 'walk'!!
Two of my three runs this week were flat, coastal paths in Bardsea, near to Barrow in Furness, and the last a flat-ish (gentle upwards!) run at home. The difference was quite noticeable - hills are hard work!
It has given me pause for thought, though, as each week I can do just that little bit more than the week before. This is usually true also of anything else ... build up slowly and it's more doable and more sustainable. Sometimes I think with spiritual practices, we can be guilty of trying to run a full 5k before we've got used to the short intervals. I think, too, we can be guilty of confusing quantity with quality. Over the years, I've met many ministers (mostly men) who have told me that they rise early and pray for an hour before breakfast, read x-chapters of scripture etc. It can be all too easy for me to feel inadequate because I don't, can't and never could, do this.
Begining the c25k has reminded me that not everyone is a marathon runner, not everyone a sprinter, and that one size doesn't fit all. Read a few verses, pray for a few minutes... be intentional and regular but not necessarily daily (the c25k is three days out of seven) if that works better. Don't beat yourself up if you need a rest, or to repeat a week (I'm debating repreating week 3 if week 4 run 1 proves too hard). It's not a competition - whether it's physical or spiritual wellbeing - and sometimes we need to be reminded of that (or at least I do).
Three weeks ago running for 60 seconds was hard work. Twice this week, due to failing to hear a command, I've run for 3.5 minutes non stop (should have been 3, oops). Overall, then, it's going in the right direction.