Healthy Hair: Healthy body

Healthy hair: healthy body!

Source linked to image

I think it's time I shared the strides I've madce on my healthy body challenge. i did not challenge myselfe to anything specific nor any amazing feats of physical endurance. i just wanted to be able to run without feeling completely wiped after 5 mins.
In fact, it started with me trying to keep up with the efforts of a friend of mine. She and I had run a 5K last May (at my instigation then). To be honest, on the day, we walked and ran. This year, we wanted to run a 10k at the end of Summer 2011. ***Mini-confession: the reason I wanted to run last Summer had more to do with boosting hair growth through exercise, than my personal fitness....the shame!***

She promptly joined a running club and before I knew it, was running 4 miles! I was taken aback because I knew I was nowhere close to that even after training last year!

I quickly did some reseach: the upshot was I could not join a running club due to work and geographical conflicts. This was when providence - read 'God' - stepped in. I found a phone app that helped to track how far and fast I'm running. I remembered a work colleague's advise about a running club: "they will teach you to run slowly enough, so you can run longer". I tested the waters with a couple of walks around my work area. it worked wonderfully. (The app is called 'Runtastic' for those who are curious).

I started running - well, jogging very slowly - the same week. I managed 4km in just over 30 mins. I was pleased with that. The next week, I managed 2 such runs. Within the next 2 weeks I was up to running 5kms up to 4 times a week.

That was 3 months ago. As we speak, I run 5km 3 times a week and 10-15km on the weekend. I would have laughed if anyone said I could do a 10km run by myself! The best bit is: I'm now training - slowly but surely - for a half-marathon instead.

What's the moral of my story here: If you start where you are, you'll probably surprise yourself with what you can achieve!