Secrets Can't Be Kept in Haebangchon

So, I had this plan. It was a good plan, in that it gave me an out in case my plan didn't work out as planned. But I live in the smallest giant city in the world, and in one walk home from the subway, my secret was out.

I've decided to do the Couch to 5K running plan. Last summer I was just starting to run hashes rather than walk them and then I went on vacation and came back and winter hit and... Excuses abound, but basically I got lazy again. It's time to stop being lazy, but usually it just sort of organically happens and I don't plan it - also the only way I've ever lost weight. Since I'd like to be more in shape in time to hash in Toronto, organically-happens didn't seem like such a good idea. I need structure.

But I almost wimped out. I live in hill central and I decided it would be much nicer (read less likely to kill me) to run alongside the Han River and I wasn't sure how long it'd take to get there and if I'd have time before meeting Gus and Gaby for steak night at Phillies and I was tired and... Excuses yet again. And then I saw my package from home - coffee, Cadbury Creme Eggs, and three super cute letters from my cousin Alannah and I was in such a damn good mood, how could I not follow through on a promise to myself?

So, I ate a handful of almonds, grabbed a half bottle of water, threw on some running clothes, shoved my iPod down my pants and my subway card and money into my bra and off I went to Yeoinarou.

Couch to 5K seems a well known training program and there is a dude out there, Robert, who made a bunch of podcasts to tell you the times to switch between running and walking. Then Sue made some with much better music, so Sue's my girl for the next 9 weeks. After 2 subways and a transfer, I was down by the Han feeling mighty fat and out of place. However, I hit play on that podcast and did exactly as it told me the entire time, no cheating. I can't claim I was going as fast the last time as the first.

It was a good run, 60 seconds of actual running followed by 90s of walking. Most times, I got very close to 60, but Sue's reassuring, confirting voice just kept telling me to walk again and so it was great. The weather was sunny and lovely but not too warm and it wasn't too busy on the paths.

The problem was that I somehow ended up in the Yeoido nature preserve at the end, that lovely moment when Sue said my cool down walk was finished, which not only means I did extra walking but also prevented me from having a shower before meeting up for steak. Gross.

All in all, I've been feeling incredibly rock-star ever since. The runner's high kicks ass and though I feel a bit of an idiot reporting my progress with 60 second runs to Tim, who is doing a 10-mile run on Saturday with two other of our friends, i am quite proud of myself.

Just 26 runs left to go.