Joel: My January Facebook Status Updates

I started out with this crazy plan to run a 5K sometime this spring back on January 3rd. Then I decided to go out and walk 15 minutes that day. Here's the progression I've gone through this month.

If I tagged you, it's because I really do appreciate your comments and encouragement that you've provided through the course of this month. Any time you want to simply click "Like" on one of my status updates, it gives me a psychological boost. Comments even more. Thanks for your help!

January 3
What are you doing for the next 12 weeks?

January 5
Walk 5, Run 1, Walk 5, Run 1, Walk 5...it's cold, but I misread the chart and left out Walk 5, Run 1 yesterday, so I gotta go do it right today...

January 8
Seriously? I win $264 if I lose more weight than the rest of the teachers? I like this plan...

January 9
Me: "Time to go run" Evil Joel: "But it's 45 degrees outside!!!" Me: "The more Evil Joel loses, the more we both win"

January 10
Good morning, Facebook world...time to go workout. :) Week 2, Day 1: Walk 15 minutes, Run 1, Walk 2 Fortunately it's only 24 degrees outside right now.

I'm scared to run 3 minutes straight tomorrow...like...really scared...

January 11
I just noticed it's not going to get any warmer. Guess I better go try to run now while it's still over 50 degrees. I'll just remind myself that there's a $250+ prize at the end of this journey...

Shared link: How To Live To Be 100+

January 12
Only one minute of running this evening! How exciting. Walk 15, Run 1, Walk 2, have dinner. :)

I know the salads at Chili's are loaded with fat and carbs and all sorts of other badness, but it makes me feel like I'm eating healthy when I eat them. So, I guess those 18 minutes of exercise had the purpose of preparing my body to replenish itself...

January 13
Total time spent walking: 16 minutes. Total time spent running: 4 minutes. Broken into 1 minute chunks. Before last week, I hadn't run ANY in 10 years. Literally...

January 15
Total time spent walking: 15 minutes. Total time spent running: 6 minutes. Broken into 5 or 6 intervals. Before January 4th, I hadn't run in 10 years...literally!

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." -- Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

January 17
Friday was payday. Walked 15 minutes and ran 6 minutes yesterday. Walked 17 minutes and ran 1 minute this morning. I seem to have misplaced 3 pounds since January 1st. Church service was wonderful. Colts won. New season of 24 begins tonight. No classes tomorrow. All in all, this is turning out to be a pretty great weekend!

January 18
Ran 3 minutes tonight. Looks like I'm still not ready to do C25K week 1 yet...

January 19
Tried to run too much yesterday. My legs are still sore from Saturday. Took today off more or less and gonna go for 4 minutes total running time tomorrow. Endurance will come. Slow and steady wins the race...last I checked, the tortoise beat the hare...

Shared link: Is Your Diet Making You Gain?

January 20
Spent 17 minutes on Wii Fit this morning. Gonna do 4 cycles of 4 minutes walking/1 minute running tonight before church. Today's off to a great start. Let's see if my clarinet and flute sectionals can be great after school as well!

Walked 19 minutes and ran 4 minutes after my clarinet and flute sectionals today. Good day overall. Now time for a quick shower and then some Bible study at DRCF...

January 21
Long day at work...didn't actually go outside and enjoy the weather much, but I did spend 34 minutes working out on Wii Fit. Lost about 4 pounds in 20 days. At this rate, I'll lose 73 pounds this year. That would take me back 12 years to my sophomore year of college...

Shared link: Diet Cheat Sheet

January 23
Shared link: Your Most Frequently Asked Running Questions

Some might call it power walking, but I call it 8 minutes of low-impact running and 23 minutes of walking. Just finished C25K Week 1 Day 1

January 24
I think I lost the battle with Pizza Hut tonight...oh well, tomorrow's a new day

January 25
10 minutes of walking and 7 minutes of running around the island on Wii Fit (actually, I ran around the couch in my living room). Now time for some rhythm boxing.

January 26
Walked 21 minutes and ran 9 minutes tonight around the DRMS football stadium (the gates were locked and I'm not about to climb or jump a fence). The Couch-to-5K Running Plan Week 1 Day 2 done.

January 28
Finished C25K Week 1. Walked 22 minutes and ran 9. Now gonna go have dinner.

January 31
Walked/ran 31 minutes on Thursday; didn't work out Friday or Saturday; awoke early this morning and gonna stretch on Wii Fit and rwalk/run.