Starting over - My path from Sedentary to Sentrumsløpet - Part One
Back in 2019 I finally decided to get in shape, I can’t tell you why, but after being overweight most of my life something just clicked.
And I went all in. I got a gym membership and a personal trainer. I started dieting (cut out carbs), hit the gym at least 4 times a week, including a personal trainer session. It was hard, some days I was so sore I could hardly walk or sit down. The work started paying off after a few months, I had more energy and was getting stronger. So I decided to start running. I put in at least two easy runs a week. By the end of 2019 I had lost about 23 kilos. And 2020 started well, I kept it going, but started eating more normal, I was working out 3 times a week, I attended a running class at my gym and I still did 2 easy runs a week. Then COVID hit.
I tried to keep going, with some runs and some workouts at home. But that little voice inside my head got stronger. “I have done this once, it will be easy to get back into it” or “when COVID ends it will be back to normal”. But COVID was not over in a few weeks or months. And then I became a father, moved outside the city and got a new job (it was some wild months in late 2021). But I had less time for personal stuff. I did try some workouts, but never managed to get back into it consistently. Now about 5 years after I stopped working out I had gained back weight, could not run (without injury), so it was time for a change.
I knew I would not be able to do the same all-out workout regime as last time, so I decided to try from couch to 5k.
Step one was to sign up for a 5k race, for me it was Sentrumsløpet. Now I have a goal. Nike Run Club has some great programs to get you started, so I chose one and just hit the gym. This time I have focused on running, not so much weights. And I can hear people screaming and telling me it’s wrong. I know I should also focus on building some muscle, to avoid injury. And I will do that, but until the end of April I am focusing on running. Doing the Nike program and running every single day. It can be an easy run, a short run, an interval session, anything as long as I run. After Sentrumsløpet I am going to set up a better program.