Don't make the same mistake I did. Before you embark on a walk/jog/run challenge, make sure you have everything in place to ensure you can stay the course.
After Week 1 of the challenge, I thought my sore feet were due to the shock of leaping from being a couch potato to running 15.5 miles that week. With a day off before I started the next week, I felt my feet would have time to adjust. But by end of the second week my feet ached even more, and my ankles were beginning to swell up.
"Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail". ~ John Wooden
I then deduced that my ankles, or should I say cankles, were probably swelling up because I had put on 20 lbs in the last three months and they were not happy with me now. So, I decided to take off two days to give my cankles a break. That also meant I would have to run every day for the next 5 days, which I wasn't looking forward to. Did I tell you it was also my birthday week? This was truly the worse timing. But suffice to say...
I COMPLETED the runs but barely.
Thanks to the accountability group, I pushed through the week but then realized something had to give. As I propped up my feet one day after jogging, I then realized the issue might be my sneakers. They were more casual sneakers and they were definitely not meant for walking or running for long periods of time.
After some research, I ordered myself some highly recommended running shoes. I went running and just like that, my sore feet and cankles were gone. Therefore, before you start on any fitness challenge make sure you don't give yourself an out by not being prepared. To be your best, you must prepare and set yourself up for success. Make sure you have the right equipment, tools, and support to help you make it to the finish line.
Yes the right gear is crucial...I also bought a park of running shoes before we started. Save on injuries!