As of 8:05pm this evening, week five of the Couch to 5k workout plan is behind me.

Tonight, after the usual warm-up, I ran for 20 minutes straight!

I know. I can hardly believe it myself.

My chest wasn’t burning, I didn’t feel like throwing up afterwards, and it didn’t take me half an hour to recover. In fact, I probably could’ve kept going, but didn’t want to push my luck.

I ran the first two workouts of the week at the indoor track (easier to track my mileage). But tonight, I was running for time. Outside, in the wild. Mileage wasn’t important. For all I know, I covered a quarter mile. Maybe half. Maybe two. It just doesn’t  matter.

Did I mention that I ran for twenty minutes straight?

Whatever I call myself – runner, jogger, shuffler, I’d like to give a shout out to my coach (my nine year old, James – aka “Prefon-James” after running legend Steve Prefontaine).  Our school district held a fundraiser yesterday morning. It was cold and it was windy, but my little man ran six miles around that track and his time held steady with each lap. What a rockstar!

Also, my knees want to send a huge thanks to my pal Marianne for reminding me to make sure I’m landing on the ball of my foot, not my heel. Thanks to her, I am ending this week pain-free.

Three more weeks and I’ll be running for three miles straight.

Just call me “Prefon-Mom”!