TrillianDent

I would say that I run for the (paleo) cookies. Or the wine. Or something like that, because it's funny and an easy way to explain to non-runners why I run. But the reality is that I run because RUNNING. I love the motion, the mental space it gives me, the opportunities to see the beauty in the world around me in a way that I never could in a car or even walking. Running is its own reward.

This is awesome! You've realized what a lot of people who are trying to start running never do - you just have to get your body used to running, a little bit at a time, until you can run without stopping. The speed and distance will come with practice and time. Keep up the great work!

Possibly (definitely) unpopular choice: sardines. For breakfast. Bonus: the tin is so very portable, just in case you need to take your crazy breakfast on the go.

Plantain chips forever.

Love #3! It's so easy to have a few bad days and then just decide to give up entirely. I am VERY guilty of that one. Recognizing that habit is the first step towards working past it! Good luck on your quest!

Your side quest is great! It's hard to focus on what's really important - including your health - when there's so much STUFF around. Decluttering makes everything better! Looking forward to keeping up with your progress!

C25K is such a great program! It's what I used when I started running, and there's no way that I would have kept up without it. At first I thought there was no way I'd ever be able to run 3 miles without stopping, and now that's just a regular short run for me. You're going to do great!

Self-care is so important! Focusing on your health, and on your happiness, is one of the best things you can do for yourself - and something far too many people (myself included) neglect. You're going to do great! We're all rooting for you!

Limiting the drinks on Friday night is huge! What works for me on that front is scheduling a long run - with a friend or a group! - on Saturday morning. That way I have a built-in excuse for why I'm leaving the bar at 11 ("Sorry, guys! Doing 10 miles at 8:30!"), and it gives me a very real motivator for not having more than a few drinks. Because hungover exercise is the worst. Love your quest & side quest! You're going to do great!

Super newbie here. For my first quest, I'm focusing not on fitness per se, but on overall health. A little backstory: I've been running consistently (4x week) for about 6 months now. Those 6 months have also been pretty rough on me (a big breakup, moving, general life upheaval and some borderline depression), and running has been the one thing that's consistently made me happy. And it's a great healthy thing to be doing for myself - but it's been the only healthy thing I've been doing for myself. I've been eating a lot of comfort-food crap (box mac and cheese!), maybe having a little too much booze, not sleeping enough, and just generally not taking care of myself. And it shows! I'm constantly tired. I look sick. My under-eye circles are out of control. I've been noticeably grumpy and short-tempered. I want all that to change. I want to be healthy. Main Quest: Create a baseline level of good health. Quiet and re-center my mind: Meditate every day; journal every day.Cut out the junk! No more meals from boxes, no more fast food, no more Cheetos or candy bars. Real food, with the occasional high-quality treat thrown in, will be much better for me. SLEEP, DANG IT! Get at least 7 hours each night. More is better. Side Quest: Create! I've let a lot of things that used to be pretty important to me slip, especially my creative and artistic endeavors. Rather than trying to get back into all of them at once, I want to spend these next 6 weeks focusing on my writing. I will write three short-form pieces that I can submit to humor sites.

I can't give too many pointers on exercises besides the obvious - single and double calf raises, balance exercises like standing on one leg - but definitely make sure you're icing that sucker! And don't be afraid to take a few days off if it's really hurting.

I run 4x a week, and I've found that having a really consistent schedule works best for me in terms of seeing progress. Mondays I cross train (yoga or pilates), Tuesdays I run 3-4 miles, Wednesdays cross train, Thursdays 4-5 miles, Friday rest, Saturday long run, and Sunday 2-3 miles.