Beginner's enthusiasm?

I have now run three times, and so far so great.
Advantages I have - unlike a lot of beginning runners, I'm neither sedentary nor overweight. Soggy, yes, but not chubby, for which my knees should be grateful.

I say runner. Add several grains of salt (and bags of cookies). Like many, I downloaded a "couch to 5K" plan from the internet, and so I alternate a sort of old lady style shuffle with a brisk walk. So far I've managed to completely mess up the plan, which I blame on 2 factors.

1. I can't read before I have a cup of coffee, so I misread week 1 before my first run.
2. I have the patience level of your average 2 year old, and the delusional optimism of a tech start up CEO.

The positives? I am "running" more than walking, and hit the 5 minute run/1 minute walk last night. My goal? 30 minutes of nonstop running before my 41st birthday, which is happily 11 weeks away. And secret hopes? That the cellulite will be transformed into a Victoria's Secret style bum, except of course much larger. I have no interest in going back to 105 pounds, as I have the physique of a 14 year old boy at that weight. Ick. My curves may be subtle, but I am not willing to give them up completely!

I have been incredibly amazed at how delighted people are when you mention running. I can't imagine a better reaction if I said I'd won the Nobel Peace Prize - why do we glorify running so much? I'm saving no-one but myself. Is it shared memory of endorphin-induced highs?

My next task - new shoes. I am running in my 7 year old New Balance sneakers, which my 11 year old son kindly gave back to me after I spent a small fortune buying him shoes. Other than really odd knots in the laces, they seem unscathed, but I know they are lacking in squishiness that apparently will protect me from all manner of ills. And heck, it takes no arm twisting at all to get me to buy new shoes! Let's just hope the credit card doesn't burst into flames.