Couch to 5K

Last year my mom started getting in to running. To date her biggest run has been 15K and she's training to do a half marathon this fall. I'm not active at all, I'll be the first to admit that I'm pretty out of shape. However, whenever the weather started getting nicer this year I told my mom that I wanted to run a 5K with her this year. Well, spring as come and gone, and summer will soon be leaving us too and I haven't done as much as even walk 5K! Part of the issue is that most of the runs that happen are on weekends, during the few hours that I actually work during the week. I've decided though, that I'm willing to take a day off of work so I can do a 5K run. I don't often say I'm going to do something, so I want to stick with it!
There's a 5K in October called the "Halloween Hustle". The registration fee goes to the IWK Children's Hospital, and it's run on the trails, and there's free hot chocolate at the end. The best part? You run wearing a Halloween costume and there's a prize for best costume. What more to get me motivated to do my first 5K than my favorite holiday, right?
Okay, so October is pretty far away, but if I haven't been active all summer will I be able to train myself enough to be able to handle a 5K run? Keep in mind that I am out of breath and gagging to the point of almost making myself sick just for running for about a minute. I Googled "5K training" and found this great site, Couch to 5K! It's a nine week training program to get you from doing little to no exercise, to be ready to run 5K! Just what I need. To make it even better, the guy who started the site has downloadable podcasts that you can put on your MP3 player to listen to while doing the training. He tells you when to change from brisk walking, to running, to cool down, all with music to keep you going. This is just what I need. I'm not enough of a motivation for myself, and besides my mama, I have nobody to ask to run with. I'm starting tomorrow. I do three days of running, and the days in between are rest days. I'm really excited to go through with this. I've spent all summer, and the months before the summer just sitting around doing nothing! Everybody lately seems to be getting into running, and I want in! Look out world, here I come!