Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Lets start Doing this Running Thing......again

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclaimer  for details. 

I have honestly missed running.  For quite a while it was a pretty important part of my life...and a pretty regular aspect!   But then life got in the way and I just didn't have the time to do it.  I found that I really missed it!  I also found that my fitness levels were decreasing the longer I went without running.  So I decided....the time is NOW!  It is time (past time) to get back to it and get in shape!   What better time than a long 5 day weekend to start!  Two runs over the course of a five day weekend...I could certainly do that. Right?  Let's see how I did!

The first run:  And I use the Term run loosely

Friday morning was the first day of my long weekend and I was determined to start.  I had a mixture of excitement and dread coursing through my veins when I woke up.   However, I was determined to do it.  I had announced it to the world and to myself and it was time to keep my promise.  (Plus, I had just purchased this really cool new toy, which I wrote about last week in this post that was ultimately to help me manage my stats during running...so maybe I should actually get some use out of this toy....my new Garmin Instinct.)

The first problem I encountered was finding my Run Buddy. (Affiliate Link)  A run buddy is a pouch that can hold keys and cellphone (or whatever).  It is attached to your pants with magnets and does not flop around....this thing is AMAZING!   Honestly, everyone that has ever seen or used mine in person has gone out to get their own!  It is absolutely the BEST way to keep your phone secure and on your person!  But I digress by singing it's praises.....my Run buddy was missing!   I know that I had used it while hiking in some pants that didn't have pockets a while back....but it wasn't where I thought it was.  It wasn't anywhere!  I looked!  DRAT.  Oh well...I would just have to hold my cell phone in my hand....and my pepper spray in the other hand ...and my keys.....wow this run just got complicated didn't it?   (And as a side note, I believe I will be clicking my own affiliate link.....is that even allowed? to buy another run buddy because I'm NOT happy with the complicated issues of going without it!)   But I didn't let the lack of my run buddy keep me from running.  Out I went!

Oh my word....was that ever brutal!  I didn't even make it 5 minutes before I needed a break from running. So I switched to intervals.  But then my shins starting hurting....my feet hurt.  Just shoot me now is what I was thinking!    I had to end up walking the second half of the run.    And you know what?  I was ok with that.  For a very brief moment I thought about turning off my brand new garmin...but then I told myself NO!  I wanted to memorialize this run.....er jog......uhhh walk!    I needed and now have  a baseline to start from.  It can only improve if I just show some consistency!

 So yeah, it was U.G.L.Y!   I'm sure it was because of the stress of losing my run buddy...right??  No....your not going to buy that???   Would you believe that the issues were caused by the fact that I was out there and then realized that I had not brought headphones so it was a quiet run?   Yeah, not buying that one either....neither am I?  Ok, it was ugly because I let myself slip into this state of disrepair!   But I'm ok with this.....I have my starting point..the line is drawn in the sand...now it's time to improve!

Run Two: return to an old friend 

I tell you, I am determined.  So the very next day, on Saturday I headed out for run two of the new reimagined me.   This time I went with headphones!   Ahhh that made all the difference in the world!  Ok ok ok, it made it more enjoyable! It however did not make me run like a gazelle!  I was still...slow!  (Why yes, I was wearing the same shirt...I did laundry on Friday afternoon and this one was at the top of the pile on Saturday when I went to get dressed...I wasn’t thinking of my photo op!!). But notice I’m at least smiling in this picture!

What made this run so much better?   I had an epiphany in the middle of the night before this run.   Why not pull up the C25K app and go through that training again!   I saw the plan for the  first week and decided that I needed something a bit more challenging.  Week three looked too challenging based on my first run.  So week two it was!   The plan for week two is to alternate....jog 90 seconds and then walk 2 minutes...back and forth for 20 minutes.  That is what I set out to do! It was a good success.  I was ready to walk each time my walk segment came up....but I knew I could probably have pushed a bit longer.  So I decided to push myself a little on my last run segment. I ran the 90 seconds.  When the app alerted me to walk, I kept running.  So my last run segment was actually 3 minutes and 30 seconds!  It was hard!  But I am glad I pushed myself!    I returned home feeling more confident about embarking on this journey!!!!

Run theee:  Day three of my 5 day weekend

Why yes, I did go out running the third day of my long weekend.   I was happy with the C25K plan from the day before, so I followed that plan again, completing day two of week two.   I did notice that my legs were a bit heavy on this run, but that’s not too shocking considering I had been running for three days straight after a long hiatus of nothing.  The previous two days I had not experienced any horrible aches or pains as a result of my runs so I knew that I was good to go for day theee.  This day was the same intervals as the previous day and I did the same thing, I pushed myself and ran the last run interval AND I ran through the last walk interval.  I was rewarded with a bush of orange roses right when my run was completed and As I was heading into my cooldown stage.

It amused me when I realized that I matched the rose bush!

That wasn’t the end of day three of my vacation  exercise/activity though.  Oh no!  We headed out on our bikes for a bike ride a bit later in the day! I was setting the pace on the out and back ride.  When we got to the point that we had about three miles left, I pushed hard. I picked up the pace  and really worked.  I wanted to challenge myself!

That evening my legs were sore.  From the muscles that were achy I could tell it was the cause the bike ride (and probably the last three miles where I was in my top gear and cranking like a mad woman).  

Knowing that we planned to get back on our bikes on Monday, I started to think about not running on Monday...a day of rest (from running) would probably be wise.

Run None: Day four of the long weekend

Ahhh. Day four.  Slow down weekend, it’s going by too fast!!!   I decided to stick with my plan to not run this day.   It wasn’t a day of rest though.  We still had a long bike ride and we took a walk!  So quite a bit of activity!  Alas...I was enjoying the weather and even more importantly the company (of course when I say we...I mean Jason and I!) and didn’t even think of a picture!   My legs were wiped out by the end of day four!   Achy and shaky!  Those are the adjectives to describe the muscles in my legs on Monday night!  Yeah, it felt good!!!

Day five: another run???

Day five arrived.  It came so fast!!!!!  Jason had to go back to work!  (Boooo....I wish he had off work off with me!). I didn’t have much planned for this day.   Some light cleaning, laundry, making a pan of lasagna, etc. the rest of the day was spent relaxing and working  on my dollhouses.   However I did have one order of business.  A run!   I woke up at the normal time and got dressed in my running clothes.   I planned to hang out with Jason until he left for work and then head out for my run.   It was after I was dressed that the monsoon rain started.  Uhhhh...this may not be good!  

I fiddled around for a few hours in the morning.  I did some laundry. I worked on my dollhouses.i delayed that run.  Let me tell you, I did NOT want to go.   I was convinced that my legs were too sore and that this should be a lazy day for me!   But then the next minute I would tell myself that I would regret it should I skip it.   So I went out.    It wasn’t fun.  I was sore.  I ran slow (slower than I had two days earlier).   I just wasn’t feeling it AT ALL!

But I did it.  I am proud of myself for facing it and doing it. I do have to wonder how much of the pain and ‘not feeling it’ was based on my predictions when I was trying to talk myself out of it.  Some self fulfilled prophecy kinda deal.  

Who knows.  But I managed to run 4 of the five days of my long weekend.  I also managed two bike rides.  I count that as a success.  I have the momentum going....now I just need to continue!!!  I’ve got this!!!!








18 comments:

mxtodis123 said...

That's awesome. You are so motivated. I have no doubt that you will be running like you used to in no time at all.

MaryFran said...

Thanks!!!! That is my goal! I want those old fitness levels back!!!

jesseybell said...

Awesome! After Day 1 I kept thinking "she needs to do C25K again!" so I am glad you did! I think I started on Week 4 back in January. I've increased mileage painstakingly slowly this time around partially because I weigh 5-10 lb more when I did the full C25K back in spring 2013 (and I was continuously losing weight during that period of time, while this spring....I am not losing :(

SANRDJ said...

Wow that's amazing, good for you. But rest those muscles or you will hurt yourself! :) I started working out again last week as well and my muscles HURT, but that's ok, no pain no gain, right!

Shelley said...

Good luck with your running - I'm so envious that you get to do it! If I ever get to run again, I'll have to start with the C25K so I don't die - it's a challenge to start from scratch, isn't it?

*Stained Glass Butterfly* said...

I need to get back to running. I used to love running, but I dread it now because I am so out of shape again. Maybe I just need to match my running outfit to a rose bush, ha ha. It would motivate me to get out there and get my running selfie! :)

Cathy said...

I had a magnetic flip "purse" thing similar to your run buddy (I don't think that was the brand though) and then my sister gave me a Nathan running belt and I love it sooooo much more than the run buddy thing. For one, the pockets are all around my waist, and 2 I can actually fit my phone in it (Samsung) with the case on. I'm sure you've already bought a new run buddy, but you should definitely get a Nathan running belt. It is amazing, I use it all the time. . .
https://www.amazon.com/Nathan-Hipster-Training-Medium-Black/dp/B0187XG1QI/ref=sxbs_ac_d_pm?crid=2XLWLKY05OVRA&keywords=nathan+running+belt&pd_rd_i=B0187XG1QI&pd_rd_r=97b1fcfd-648b-4aef-bff2-a500ae1548a1&pd_rd_w=1wWrf&pd_rd_wg=6mvBF&pf_rd_p=7a617131-5633-4cbf-b289-ab47a3a4a81c&pf_rd_r=KCHWHK0X7NCAMTXGSW2S&qid=1559164053&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=nathan%2Csporting%2C262

Mrs Swan said...

You cannot use your own affiliate link according to what I found. That is why I used yours when I got the Firestick.

GOOD FOR YOU! I'm tired just reading all that.

Enjoy your refound love for running!

Grace said...

I'm so impressed. Running has never been my thing, although I would love it if it was! I did run a bit over 30 years ago, but didn't have the right attitude to keep it up. So good for you! Your story almost makes me want to try again...NAH. :-)

Chu Chỉ Nhược said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
MaryFran said...

Oh wow! That’s neat to see that you restarted the C25K this year...your mileage is pretty nice right now!!! :-)

MaryFran said...

Definitely added some rest!!! I don’t mind a little ache...and pushing through that...but I also know that my body needs the rest days!

MaryFran said...

It is a challenge...but you know in some ways I’m totally excited! I am starting the C25K with some experience and muscles (just forgotten muscles). I have a feeling that redoing the C25K is going to be in the long run a good thing for me...not just because it gets me running again, but I think it may make me a better runner.

MaryFran said...

I definitely kick myself for allowing myself to get back to this place! You haven’t been away from running all that long though...so you should be able to jump back in and get back up to par pretty quickly!!!

I definitely recommend dressing to much the roses!!!

MaryFran said...

I have already bought a new run buddy. I buy the XL one so that my phone can fit in it! I will definitely check out the Nathan running belt though!! It sounds neat! (I’ll have to see if they have a belt big enough for my overweight body....I might have to wait until I drop some pounds!)

MaryFran said...

I didn’t think I could. :-).

MaryFran said...

Running was never my thing...but I started it because ‘you don’t see many overweight runners’ so I figured it had to be good exercise! Hahaha. Ahhh the logic that I come up with! But for me it is an easy thing...I don’t have to drag out lots of exercise equipment...or drove to a gym...or go anywhere special. Just lace up my shoes and go out the door. Convenient and easy!

Sarah said...

Way to go! I wish my vacation was as productive as yours was.