Ok, I'm feeling discouraged today. Just downright Negative Nancy discouraged. I gave my body 4 days to recuperate from the torture that I put it through. All I did was Zumba and yoga. I didn't get on a treadmill lest I go flying off the back of it and crash into the guard rails. So, I went to get on the treadmill again, gotta get back up on that horse after ya fall off of it, and I got through a little over a mile when my ankle started hurting. Then, my knee started hurting, then my hip... did I mention that this is the knee that I tore my ACL in a few years back.... and so forth and so on until I could barely put one foot in front of the other again.
What in the hell have I done to myself???? Have I set myself back, or am I just a wuss? I'm leaning towards wuss, actually. I didn't really want to run today, and so I came up with lots of excuses to stop and not push through. Although, if you really are injured, you shouldn't run on an injury.
So, I came home and started thinking about WHY I don't want to run. I never came up with a good answer, but I DID realize something else. I don't want to stop running. I don't want to stop feeling good about my choices, my body, and my health. I don't want to stop feeling that sense of accomplishment when I hit a goal for time or distance. I don't want to stop sweating and pushing my body past what I ever thought I could possibly do. I don't want to stop. That's the bottom line. I like how I feel about myself when I run and make healthy choices for myself. So, I'm going to suck it up, put on my big girl undies, lace up my tennis shoes, and get back on the treadmill. Wish me luck and send me good vibes. I'm going to push through this and surprise even myself.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
No running for me (today)
It's really hard to follow Jana's life lesson post...partly because I'm not near as funny and partly because I'm trying to clean up the water I spewed across the keyboard as I read it. Here in a little bit I'll call to ask her if she vaguely remembers the little conversation we had on the way up to Aunt Jones' house about training schedules. But I'll wait until her toes stop cramping.
I REALLY want to go for a run tonight, but instead I'm going to sit here and think about running. I started a new school year today. I'm in a new district, at a new school, and I don't know a soul. I sat there at the table feeling sorry for myself, slightly overwhelmed and a little out of place. Where did my thoughts drift? To the last time I just ran for the sake of running...as far as I could go...in the rain...not tethered by a heart monitor or Runkeeper...no music...just me with the rain drops stinging my face and the sound of my shoes hitting the wet pavement.
And there you have it, the #1 reason why I run: it's my therapy. I don't run to look cool because if you've seen me run, there's nothing cool about it. I don't run to win a race. I don't run in order to be able to eat whatever I want whenever I want (although that is a nice added bonus). I run to clear my mind both at the time and then later when I need a little escape. Some people turn to chocolate, alcohol, drugs or food to escape. I run.
Although it would really help me to calm down tonight, I think I'll just settle for the run I took today...sitting at the school...listening to the presentation...feeling the calming therapy of the memory of that run in the rain.
And I'll run tomorrow night because I'm an idiot training for a half-marathon!
I REALLY want to go for a run tonight, but instead I'm going to sit here and think about running. I started a new school year today. I'm in a new district, at a new school, and I don't know a soul. I sat there at the table feeling sorry for myself, slightly overwhelmed and a little out of place. Where did my thoughts drift? To the last time I just ran for the sake of running...as far as I could go...in the rain...not tethered by a heart monitor or Runkeeper...no music...just me with the rain drops stinging my face and the sound of my shoes hitting the wet pavement.
And there you have it, the #1 reason why I run: it's my therapy. I don't run to look cool because if you've seen me run, there's nothing cool about it. I don't run to win a race. I don't run in order to be able to eat whatever I want whenever I want (although that is a nice added bonus). I run to clear my mind both at the time and then later when I need a little escape. Some people turn to chocolate, alcohol, drugs or food to escape. I run.
Although it would really help me to calm down tonight, I think I'll just settle for the run I took today...sitting at the school...listening to the presentation...feeling the calming therapy of the memory of that run in the rain.
And I'll run tomorrow night because I'm an idiot training for a half-marathon!
I hate running (today)
Ok, so I read an article today about not "overtraining". As I'm reading, I'm thinking, "This is so stupid. Who ever heard of "overtraining?" Well, my dear friends and followers, I have done it. Just realized it today when I got on the treadmill to do a "short" run, and after a mile, I could barely put one foot in front of the other. Now, I'm not going to set any speed records anyway. I'm more of an endurance and stamina kind of girl, but ladies and gentlemen, that treadmill kicked my ass today. I mean completely and totally wiped up the floor with me. I got cramps in my feet and toes! Who gets feet and toe cramps? I got off the treadmill and limped around for a few minutes trying to play it off like I was just heaving and panting and limping because I had kicked so much ass on my run. I'm pretty sure that I fooled no one, but it made me feel better. I figured that it was like riding a horse, so I got back on that damn beast of a treadmill, and I decided to go for a brisk walk. About 3 minutes into that, I got a stitch in my side so bad that I couldn't breathe. I must've looked like I was really in distress, because the guy next to me asked me if I needed any help. I panted, "No, thanks, I got this." So, I decided that I wasn't going to be like Will Smith and DIE on the treadmill today. I have a fun trip in a few weeks, and dying would really put a crimp in my plans, so I heaved my big ass off that torture device and hauled my bruised ego and crampy toes home. I felt better after a hot shower, and I am now going to re-read that "overtraining" article. It appears that the "Idiot" part of training for a half marathon was out in full force today.
I blame it on my overzealousness (is that a word?) in running 5 miles on Saturday and not giving my battered, broken, and bruised body enough time to recover. Remember friends, there's NO point in pushing yourself so hard that you need 3 days to recover... well, unless you're me, and the point is to learn the hard lessons all on your own instead of listening to other people. If that's what you need to learn it, then by all means, go for it!!!!
I blame it on my overzealousness (is that a word?) in running 5 miles on Saturday and not giving my battered, broken, and bruised body enough time to recover. Remember friends, there's NO point in pushing yourself so hard that you need 3 days to recover... well, unless you're me, and the point is to learn the hard lessons all on your own instead of listening to other people. If that's what you need to learn it, then by all means, go for it!!!!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Getting Started
Erica and I have decided that we are going to run a half marathon on November 13, 2011. We have chosen to name our blog Two Idiots Training for a Half Marathon because we're pretty sure that we're two idiots and we know we're training for a half marathon. This has been an exciting and enlightening journey for me, especially. I walked my first 5K in March 2011, my 2nd in May 2011, and my 3rd in June 2011. I've been following Erica's running "career" for about a year now, and I always thought, "Man, I wish I could run." Did I mention that I'm, what is politely called, a "full figured" woman? Anyway, Erica has been one of the inspiring factors in my journey, as well as other friends who have pushed and prodded me along the way. Hopefully, this will serve as inspiration for any of you gals (and guys) out there who want to get moving but just can't seem to do it.
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