Grumpy Snakes Running Club

I call it a running club, but I use the terms running and club loosely.  About two months ago I decided to start the Couch to 5K program.  It is a nine week program that takes you from not running to being able to complete a 5k.  The program uses walking and running intervals to get you accustomed to running.  You start out alternating between running 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds.  Every week your increase the amount of time you spend running.  I had a couple of different Facebook friends who started this program before I did.  They kept posting their work outs and I decided I should give it a try.  If it were not for Facebook I would have never tried of doing this.

I downloaded an app for my iPhone (C25K).  I love it because it tells me when to run and walk - I don't have to keep up with anything and it allows me to make notes on each days exercise so I can see my progress.  I will say that I had been working out regularly for 6 or so months prior to starting the program and the first week I thought I would die!  OK, and the second week, too! So I don't truly believe you could go from being a complete couch potato to doing this program, maybe I'm wrong but I'm just giving you my experience.

I am currently stuck on week 4.  Actually I alternate between week 2 and week 4.  And honestly I still can't complete week 4 as it is laid out.  It has two different five minute running intervals and two that are three minutes.  I can't do the five minute ones so I cut them down to 3 or 4 minutes each.  I am making progress and I will complete week 4 this month!  But, I've decided that this is more a process than a goal. I do not see it as failure that I'm stuck.  I see it as success that I haven't given up.  Will I eventually finish the program? You bet!  Will I finish it in 9 weeks? Definitely not!  Am I enjoying the challenge and process? Wholeheartedly!  Will I eventually run a real 5K? I don't know.

I do my running outside on a wonderful local trail.  One of the things I love so much about the trail is all of the nature I see.  Wildflowers, Squirrels, scorpions, fish, cardinals, water birds, turtles and snakes seem to be the most common.  The snakes have one spot that they always hang out.  At least 75% of the time I can find at least one, sometimes several.  I hate snakes!  They give me the heebeejeebees.  But I love looking for them on my runs.  Luckily they are water snakes and are a good 20 feet or so away when I see them. 

Since my kids refer to my working out as "Mommy getting her grumpies out," and I always look for the snakes on my jaunts down the trail the name Grumpy Snakes Running Club seemed appropriate.  And you all know, I have to name everything.  Now I just need the t-shirt...

This series of pictures is of one of the skinnier species of snakes I see.  I happened to catch this one on the move.  

If anyone knows what kind of snakes these are please let me know.  I have no idea but am curious.

Jenn

PS.  These pictures did not come from a Grumpy Snakes outing.  One morning while doing Grumpy Snakes, I saw a big snake covered in moss or other green stuff.  I was so annoyed that I couldn't get a good picture of it with my phone, that when I got finished running, I came home and got my good camera with the good super zoom lens.  By the time I got back, the moss covered snake was gone or had washed off the moss and these two snakes were in its place.  In the course of taking these pictures my camera "broke," the manual focus/auto focus button literal came off my lens.  The pictures are not as good as I wanted them to be but the best I could do given the circumstances.  I wish my good camera wasn't so heavy so I could run with it every day and capture all the fun things I see.  I have taken my lens to be repaired and am anxiously awaiting its return.