I don't expect my first 5K to be an award-winning run.

I have 20 days until my first 5K. Twenty.

When I first signed up for this race, I had the overconfidence of the halfway decent runner that I was in September 2010. I seem to have forgotten that she was replaced by the lumbering, achy, half-assed runner of March 2011.

The Plan

• Monday: Rest
• Tuesday: Kickboxing
• Wednesday: Gym
• Thursday: Gym
• Friday: Run, kickboxing
• Saturday: Run Rest
• Sunday: Rest

Friday was my first run in weeks. I had taken time off from running — which had been pretty demoralizing — and decided to focus instead on cardio conditioning, balance and ignoring the dull ache in my foot. As it turns out, it was a good strategy. I was still slow on Friday morning, but I turned out to be faster than I had expected (or was that feared?) as I did the 2-mile loop near my house. Of course, I still can’t run a mile without walking, and I’m not anywhere close to being able to run for 3.1 miles straight, but I’m trying to remind myself that I’m not aiming for a personal record in this race; I just want to get back out there.

The weekend was a wash, fitness-wise. I was solo parenting for the weekend and in spite of a carefully orchestrated plan where we would meet other moms for a Saturday afternoon run, the boy somehow managed to not only take a rare nap but also sleep straight through the scheduled meeting time. I know better than to complain about a 4-year-old who will still nap occasionally, so I’ll just assume that the universe wanted me to rest a bit.

This week’s goal: running at least one mile without stopping. It’s hard to imagine that I’m back to this level.

Tags: 5k, cardio, injury, kickboxing, race, rehab, rehabilitation, running, training

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