If you would’ve told me three months ago that I would be able to run 5k without stopping, I would’ve spat out the chocolate milk from my cereal, unable to prevent a fit of hysterical laughter. If you told me that I would’ve run 5k and actually enjoyed it, I would’ve told you to “do one”, grabbing my bowl of cereal and leaving the room you were in.
But I did it, yes, I actually achieved a fitness goal of mine since my eating disorder first began during my mid-teens. I used to love sport in my younger years, but completely avoided when I became unwell – purely because I just didn’t have the energy to do anything.
I’m always predictably sceptical when having to pay for an app on my phone, even if the price is the equivalent to what I’d be willing to spend on a posh bag of crisps. But turns out that forking over that £2.29 for the Couch to 5k Runner app was some of the best £2.29 I’ve ever spent. This app helped me to run 5k, and if it were a person I would buy it a fruit basket to say thanks.
The app sets out three runs for you to complete each week, beginning with interval running and working up to longer stretches until you reach 5k.
It took me about two months to reach my 5k, having quite literally begun my fitness routine from a couch, only really moving to forage for food or go to work. It takes about thirty-five minutes to run 5k by the way, in case you were wondering.
Speaking to Katie Dray, who is a chartered psychologist and sport coaching lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University, about the benefits of running. She said: “Running, as well as other forms of exercise, has been shown be related to a number of physical and mental health benefits. Not only is it important in preventing a number of serious physical conditions such as cancer, obesity and heart disease, numerous studies tell us that exercise more generally is also associated with the important mental health issues, such as the reduction anxiety and depression.
“Studies tell us that in the short term, mood tends to improve with even short bouts of exercise, but also that there may be longer term benefits to our mental health, such as improved cognitive function as we age. Most recently research that looks at exercise environments, show that exercising outdoors is particularly good for our mood, so if you are off out running, leave the treadmill behind and hit the park!”
Aside from upping my fitness levels, it’s the confidence boost that you gain from achieving personal fitness goals which makes the effort you put in worthwhile. It’s fulfilling to realise that you can actually complete something sport-related without faltering three hurdles in and making a b-line for the nearest bagel shack instead (I still do that, granted).
I believe that the american voice-over on the app yelling “good job on running today!” during each work out was the catalyst for which my first fitness success was born. However, I’ve now deleted Couch to 5k Runner to make room for selfies. What can you do?
