Countdown to 10K: Day One

Circuit: Run 1 min, Walk 2 min (Repeat X10)

Success Level: 8/10

Pain level: For all that is good and holy on this planet, someone shoot me.

Doggie excitement level: 10/10

Since the plan I got started on a Monday, I decided to just jump right into it when I got home. My pooch looked at me with disbelief when I went into my closet and dusted off my running shoes. Then the realization hit him.

Walk.

Walk!

WALK!

WALKWALKWALKWALKWALKWALKWALKWALKWALKWALKWALKWALK!!!!!!

He knows that when I put on those shoes we're up for something involving him. He was almost vibrating. I swear if he got any more excited he would have time-traveled. So I got the leash and he ran full speed into the door with a solid thunk. Luckily he absorbed the entire impact with his brain, so there was no damage.

I decided my best bet was to do my circuit across the street in the Dell parking lot. It's usually deserted because, well, all of their employees are in Bangalore. Plus the brief walk across my complex and across the street would be appropriate for a warmup and an opportunity for Murphy to "lighten the load," as it were.

I started the timer and I was off.

Min 1: Run (Piece of cake.)

Min 2-3: Walk (Already?)

Min 4: Run (Still not too bad.)

Min 5-6: Walk (Want to keep running, but sticking with the plan.)

Min 7: Run (Still ok, but landed wrong on a step and felt a little twinge.)

Min 8-9: Walk (Slowing down made me feel the first little pain.)

Min 10: Run like a teenage girl in an 80s splatter movie.

Min 11-12: Walk (waiting for this one.)

Min 13: Run like a teenage girl in an 80s splatter movie after she falls the second time

Min 14-15: Walk (Wait. How many more?)

Min 16: Run (are my shins supposed to be bursting into flames?)

Min 17-18: Walk (actually stopped for a second to put my tibia back.)

Min 19: Run (I couldn't even qualify for the special olympics right now.)

Min 20-21: Walk (Realize the pain hasn't really hit. Until now.)

Min 22: Run (Look for a cab.)

Min 23-24: Walk (Even Murphy is dragging ass.)

Min 25: Screw the run. I'm skipping this one.

Min 26-27: Walk (Turn back towards home.)

Min 28: Run (While technically correct, it was more or less a fast zombie walk.)

Min 29-30: Drag my ass home.

I had never been happier to get upstairs. Murphy made it almost a foot inside the door before passing out.

Day one... check.