Learn to run - Week 1: w1/r2

I started my Learn to Run program tonight. The 10 week program is supposed to prepare me for a 5K run. Week 1 of the program is 8 sets of 1 minute walking and 2 minutes running for a total of 24 minutes, 3x a week.

I was all psyched to start the program since I spent part of my Saturday afternoon getting fitted for a proper pair of runners. This was a shoe-shopping experience unlike any other because for the first time, I went in to buy a pair of shoes for a purpose. I explained my feet issues and that I wanted to start running, so the salesperson proceeded to ask me to walk the length of the store for him and then to run so he could analyse my gait. That was a first! Then he sat me down and started bringing out shoes.

I must have tried on 6 or 7 different pairs before settling on the first pair I tried on: a pair of Brooks that are white with metallic orange trim(!) Needless to say, I would never have picked these shoes out from a line-up, but they were the most comfortable to wear.

The funny thing for me was that he kept asking me how the shoes felt, and this probably sounds dumb, but I wasn't sure how they were supposed to feel. I wear shoes on my feet every day but I was stumped to articulate myself. I could tell that one was a little too tight in the toe box...and another wasn't deep enough in the heel for my orthotics to fit properly so that I felt like my feet were falling out of my shoes. He was great because he asked me all the right probing questions.

I tried them out at the gym tonight and I must say that they were really great to run in. There's lots of cushioning for the balls of my feet and there's support in my heel and my arch where I need it.

While I was at the store, I bought a yoga mat for class. I've been thinking of getting one for a while and they just happened to have a pretty purple one on sale, so I thought, why not? I'm all set for my weekly routine now: running M/W/F and Bodyflow T/R. That's just my workout routine though. I have to schedule time to practice mandarin during the week to prepare for my class Saturday mornings--I already have a quiz scheduled this week but I can't seem to find my textbooks, which are packed away somewhere, so I have to spend tomorrow unpacking some stuff so I can study. I'll be busy, which is just how I like it.