I had a conversation with myself and I won!

This morning I had a little conversation with myself at 5:55 am…it went like this:

“Hey, get up, you have to go run at the gym!”

“No, I am really tired and I need to rest.”

“But if you don’t go, there isn’t another time today that works and you’ll regret it!”

“But if I stay and sleep I’ll be happier and won’t be tired today.”

“Well, it would be better to be tired today knowing that your got your run in, and actually your run will probably give you more energy!”

“Fine…I’ll go.”

About 1 hour later…

“Yes!  I’m so glad I got my run out of the way this morning!”

NOTE: Sometimes you just have to do it.  Even when you don’t want to.    And in other news….how about those Broncos!  Whoop!

4 days in a row? What?!

Yes, that is right.  I ran (my training run mapped out by Rob) 4 days in a row.  What?!  Never thought that would happen.  Every time I think I just want to warm up a little and then do my other strength training I just feel like running.  So, I do.  I expected to be so sore that I couldn’t move and I was sore, but actually running is keeping me limber.  Is that normal?

Today I wish I could have run outside but my schedule was packed all day and I didn’t feel like running in the dark.  So, the treadmill it was…but at least there were no mishaps on the treadmill.

I was a little stressed out when I began to run.  I discovered that running is a great way to release pressure that is built up in your mind.  As I ran I began to release each of my concerns from the day.  I released them by remembering who is control – God, not me, and I asked Him to take my burdens from me and I prayed for each of the people I love who are going through a hard time.  I got a lot of praying done during my run.  What a great combo!  Running and praying.  Another fun discovery.

I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday and we were discussing how to know you finally “made it” as a dedicated worker-outer.  I think I still have a long way to go.  But, I see progress!  Six weeks ago I pretty much had to drag myself to the gym or to any kind of physical activity.  I made about 2000 excuses in my mind why I couldn’t make it…but little by little I just kept going.  Not sure what magical moment it started to turn in to an actual desire to go, but I’m thankful that it did.  I still argue with myself about going sometimes, but it’s a lot easier to get my work out in regularly.  I think about the “seat belt law”.  Before the law I may or may not have worn a seat belt when driving.  Once it became the law, I was constantly having to remember to fasten my seat belt.  Now I don’t even think about it when I get in the car, I just do it.  It’s automatic.  That’s how I want working out to be in my life.  Something that isn’t even a discussion, it’s just something I do.  Will I get there?  Well…I sure am gonna keep trying!

Tip of the day:  Don’t give in to giving up.  Just keep talking yourself into doing something.  Find what works for you.  Even doing a walk around the block every day to start is a great thing!  Then one day just be crazy and walk 2 blocks.  Before long, maybe I’ll see you out running with me!  YOU CAN DO IT!

 

Funny time at the gym this morning…

…so, I was going to just jump on the treadmill for a warm up and then do my regular strength training on the circuit, but I decided to go for it and log in another full run (the one that Rob has mapped out for me to do over the next few weeks.)  I felt okay.  It was a little hard as I was sore from the day before, but overall I was feeling pretty good.  I kept having to remind myself to run relaxed…that’s been a tricky because for some reason my body will start clenching up, like it’s trying to hug itself as I move. But I kept talking to myself, soothingly saying,  “Relax, just relax!”  The problem with that is usually when I hear those words the next thing that happens is the dentist gives me a shot, or my good friend Ryan does an amazing series of crunching moves to align my back.  Why is it when you are told to relax it sends a shot of crazy anticipation adrenaline into your body and mind that makes you immediately want to take on a fierce ninja stance to avoid being taken off guard and ward off the oncoming possibility of attack?  Oh, well, I suppose over time I will learn to run relaxed.

Anyway…I was finally in a great groove,  hitting the pace I wanted and things were going well when I remembered seeing a runner on the side of the road yesterday and had a conversation with Rob about her running form. He helped me identify that her arm movement wasn’t keeping her body straight or working for her but was making her body shift side to side which can slow you down.  Reflecting on that, I immediately began to work on my form today on the treadmill.  As I attempted to use my arms to keep my body straight and level, I accidentally got my thumb caught in my earphones cord which then whipped my iPhone that was attached to the earphones cord out of it’s cubby in the front of the treadmill and it was precariously dangling above my pounding feet and the treadmill!  Yikes!  Somehow I gently tugged on the earphone cord and it was a tight enough connection into my phone that it was soon safe in my hands and then back in it’s cubby.  Whew.  Crisis averted.  Well….almost, about 4 min. later, again while trying to focus on my form, arms moving correctly, feet springing up correctly…I felt good!  I sauntered into a little daydream of what I might look like crossing a finish line someday.  I did it!  Cheers all around..a glorious accomplishment.  But, I wasn’t paying too much attention to myself and the distance between my body and the front of the treadmill.  And I was really motivated by a song and was just running my little heart out when…BAM!  My hand struck the emergency STOP button on the treadmill and I about catapulted off into space!  Ooops!  That was a teensy bit embarrassing as I collected myself, started the treadmill up again to finish my run, I looked around sheepishly and smiled a confident smile that said, “Hey, I might have meant to that!  You don’t even know.  Anyway, nothing to see here…move along!”

Tips/Lessons Learned:  #1 – I need to buy an arm band for my iPhone to avoid it falling and smashing to bits as I run.  #2 -The STOP button on a treadmill really works and works with a vengeance!   Never press STOP when you are running at your fastest pace (any pace really) and are daydreaming of when you are actually running a race, it will be a hazard that will be quite entertaining to others and will make you feel pretty dumb! #3 – Big machines are to be respected.

And in other news…Robbin has been feeling our baby grand-daughter move…so fun!  And yesterday she sent a text that Jake felt the baby for the first time.  This year is gonna be filled with some amazing moments.  Wow!  I am a blessed woman. 

Happy day after New Year’s Day to you!

Today is a great day.  Sunshine.  No wind (whew) and the first day I am going to run outside.  On purpose.  Yikes!  I went to the gym this morning to do some core strength training and a light cardio warm up.  In about an hour Rob is taking this infant runner outside…I am hoping to prove to myself that my treadmill wins can actually transfer to an outside run.  I can do this…right?  I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…

Rob also gave me this website to get a few chuckles but also to inspire me.  When I watched the video and they said, “If you smile when you run, this sight isn’t for you…”  I was in.  I can’t say that I smile…yet.  But the day will come, oh, yes it will!

I still feel pretty vulnerable posting my thoughts and feelings about this journey.  Why?  Because, I’m laying it all out there for everyone to scrutinize and I’m laying it all out there and what if I don’t succeed?  But, I’m laying it all out there and with that is an enormous sense of accountability.  There’s no turning back now.  I said I would do this.  I am doing this, and apparently a few of you are actually tracking to see if I really do this! Eek!

Next steps on my journey – to move from the “cop out” method (although it’s been a great method for me so far) of eating Lean Cuisines because the calorie counts are all built in for me, to understanding more about nutrition and what I should and can eat that is fresh and easy to fix.  Maybe I’ll just keep my current system going a little longer…but this needs to happen because I think it would be a great lifestyle switch to pay attention to what I am putting in to my body and to understand what will be the best fuel for my other activity goals.  Any tips are welcome!  Or, if anyone wants to be my personal training chef, you’re hired.  The pay is really cheap though.

So, to the runners who are so in to running they have made it a part of their everyday life, I salute you!  To the runners who are striving to get there, keep it up!  To the infant runners (that’s me) who dream of success, don’t give up!  It’s one foot, after the other foot, after the other foot….one minute, after another minute, after another….one day….you get the idea!

Crave? Really?!

So I think my body has begun a new craving – it actually “wants” to work out.  I’ve heard about such cravings before.  I actually get a little antsy if I am taking a rest/recovery day or for some other reason can’t get to the gym.  Today I was planning on my first outside run.  But the wind through me off.  Early in the morning I checked the hourly weather and at the time of my run (which a few friends were planning to join me on) the winds were to be at 55 mph.  No bueno.  I decided to call and check in with my friends and everyone agreed, the wind = no bueno.  So we postponed our run together, the right decision,  but that left me hangin’.  My body was ready to go!  Rob had even mapped out a good first outside run for me.  I decided to do the next best thing…head to the gym and the good old treadmill.

I am learning the importance of good stretching before and after.  All the articles and advice I am hearing is that it is super important to avoid injury as much as possible as you are learning the tricks of the running trade.  Currently I do okay with all the stretches but can’t seem to grab my own right foot behind me with my right hand…weird.  I can with my left.  Must have less flexibility on my right side.  It is quite entertaining to watch me hop around and try – just ask Rob.  My nephew John showed me a few good stretches to help my IT Band muscle pain that I have been experiencing.  I get a little hasty sometimes to jump on the treadmill and start running, but the discipline of stretching is really helping so I do it.

Oh, and one other fun piece of news…I got fitted for my first pair of serious running shoes.  I tried several styles but the winner for me was a pair of Brooks shoes.  They are very comfortable and I went ahead and also got the custom fitted insoles as I have had a spell of super angry plantar fasciitis in the past and would like to avoid that from ever coming back!  It was an interesting process, running on the store treadmill and analyzing my gait and such. I walked out of the store excited and a little anxious, sorta felt like, “There’s no turning back now!”

So, today I did go to the gym and felt soooo glad that I did.  Here is my workout for today:

• Stretching
• Treadmill – 23 min
  • Walk 5 min at 3.7 pace, casual/brisk walk
  • Run 1 min at 4.7 pace
  • Walk 1 min at 3.7 pace (brisk)
  • Run 2 min at 5.0 pace
  • Walk 1 min at 3.5 pace (recovery)
  • Run 3 min at 4.7 pace
  • Walk 2 min at 3.5 pace (recovery)
  • Run 3 min at 4.7 pace
  • Walk 2 min at 3.7 pace (brisk)
  • Run 1 min at 5.0 pace
  • Walk 2 min at 3.5 pace (recovery)
• Stretching
• 6 sets of 10, crunches on abs circuit (ouch!)
• 6 sets of 10, bicep circuit
• 6 sets of 10, tricep circuit
• 6 sets of 10, shoulder press

I still have a long way to go, but am excited about my progress.  Believe me, there are a ton of mornings where my bed feels really great and my mind tries to convince my body to just stay there…but after I finish at the gym I am always super thankful I didn’t give in to my mind and though my body is really sore, it feels great.  I often recall scripture to mind and that really inspires me to go!  Especially, “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!”  It reminds me that I truly cannot do it, but with His strength, I CAN!

Anyone else who might be reading this who is afraid to start something like this, don’t be.  Just map out what works for you.  It starts with 1 day, then 2, then 3, then 1 week, then 2 then 3…

Biggest fear: That I will still give up some day or get hurt.

Overcoming that fear:  I just keep trying and make my goals small for now.   I am hoping to run a 5K in March.  My goal will purely be – …finish!  Speed, and other stuff can come later.  Then it will be to finish the Bolder Boulder, a 10K….that still makes me a little nervous.

Happy New Year, everyone!  May 2012 be the year you find something that renews and energizes you.  Consider doing something to contribute to your health!

Tip:  Every week pencil in your work out times into your calendar.  Make them as much a part of what you schedule as everything else.