I am great at making excuses. When I thought about going out for a run, I remembered my trainers hurt. When I thought about using my Wii Fit, I realised the Wii wasn’t connected properly and I didn’t know how to fix it. When I DID go out for a run using different trainers, they gave me blisters. All these things are valid but ultimately they are all
excuses to avoid the inevitable: I need to lose some weight and get fit. I need to do this not because I want to look smokin’ (although, of course, I do) or because I don’t like what people think about my size (although, of course, I don’t). I get no joy in being puffed out by walking up the steps in the IMAX to find our seats. I hate buying new clothes only for them to be too tight in just a matter of weeks. I need to do this because I know that being healthy will make happy.
So my first step was to tackle Excuse Number 1 and buy some new trainers. Warwick Sports is a small sports shop which has the best customer service I have experienced in a sports store. The staff all seem to know what they are talking about and they assess your stance before suggesting shoes. I made it clear that I was on a budget and that I didn’t care what my trainers looks like (as my Mum would say, it’s not a fashion show). Each pair I tried on was checked and in most cases, the assistant was able to tell me that they didn’t fit rather than just asking the very unhelpful and generic ‘how do they feel?’.
I ended up getting these Saucony trainers (I hadn’t heard of the make either) and I am thrilled. They fit well and they didn’t break the bank at £60 (still not cheap but £25 off so that it always a bonus).
Last night I took them out for their first outing. My sister-in-law told me about the NHS’s initiative called Couch to 5K and I was intrigued. I wanted a programme to get me moving but that would keep me going and that was within my (limited) capabilities. I am a shocker for giving up so I wanted something I could stick at. It is, of course, early days but I am so hyped about it. The first week consists of three sessions which each entail brisk walking with minute-long jogs. You can download a podcast which talks you through what you should be doing, playing appropriately lively music too. I am actually looking forward to going out again tomorrow. You can read more at the website or follow them on Twitter. I was impressed to get an encouraging @mention when I tweeted about my jog/walk yesterday:
