I heart running....

I gained a pound this week. I actually thought I would be more annoyed than I am. But, turns out, I’m actually not that annoyed. I know what to do to pull it back and that’s what I’m doing this week!

Today I want to talk about running. I absolutely love it. On Monday I could not wait to get home, throw on my running gear and get out there. The weather was so gorgeous. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still full on freezation BUT the skies were blue, cloudless and the sun was just gorgeous! The promise of Spring is within our reach and I just felt…..amazing. I’m so glad I can move. I so glad I have legs. I’m so glad that I’ve found this thing that I never thought I’d be able to do. And I am astounded at how much I love it!

Monday was my personal best so far (and only about the 10th time I have EVER run outdoors in my life) I ran 7 miles in 67 minutes, which is way faster than my treadmill pace, for some reason I didn’t think it would be! I never thought I’d be able to give up the treadmill, it fits so comfortably with my need to control, but running outside felt so freeing and challenging in a completely different way. My biggest challenge on the treadmill is to ignore the clock and zone out, focusing on putting one foot in front of another, and getting to the distance goal I set. Running outside is not like that – I tend to work in stages rather than distance, it’s rather helpful not having a neon display in front of you at all times – even when I cover it with my towel I am still sorely tempted to peek! The regular route I’m running now I am getting to know the surfaces, the hills, hard bits, bits where I can speed up, where I need to slow down, and unlike on a treadmill, it’s much more ‘organic’ running – by this I mean that I am not ‘sitting’ in my hips and letting my legs propel me forward in the manner of Road Runner, it’s more of a whole body engaged thing. There’s things to look at, and actually it’s hard to let yourself daydream away because you might trip or get run over or have any one of a whole host of potential hazards happen to you! On my ‘final stage’ of my route, I run down my road, which is a nice gentle hill. The pavement on either side is quite uneven so I tend to run on the actual road (in my glow-in-the-dark stuff!) and about half way down there is a gargantuan pothole in the middle of the road and I always make sure I look to avoid it! If I were daydreaming away you can bet your butt I’d end up sprawled all over the show having tripped! I am a clumsy-ass at the best of times!! Especially since it was dark when I completed the route!

I’ve pretty much done all my long runs (well, long for me as a beginner anyway!) on a treadmill – those 10k I was doing once a week were all treadmill runs, but yesterday I wanted to see if I could match that in the real world. So when I set off at about 5:45pm it was light, sunny and gorgeous. I tried not to set myself too big a goal and just pay attention to my body and how I felt. It was hard, don’t get me wrong, but I definitely feel as if I am getting fitter – and more able to pace myself and breathe and actually enjoy it rather than it being a total slog and not fun at all!

The 3rd lap was pretty tough, about mile 4/5 and I slowed down, but as soon as I caught my breath I was able to push it again. I felt tremendous when I’d finished!!! Knees sore, IT band on BOTH legs sore but I stretched and stretched and got in a hot bath and massaged the pain away. Day after, I felt like an old woman but repeated my treatment last night and today I’m fit as a fiddle!

Chris the PT and I are going running today at 3pm *gulp* ‘I know a good 10k route’ he said……I’m slightly scared!

I’ll be back with an update. Wish me luck!!!!!