Pressing On

I'm not a fan of excising.  Let's just get that out of the way.  I have had the hardest time setting a schedule to 'work out' and sticking to it for more than a few weeks.  The best intentions right?  Now, that's not to say I don't get out and move.  I walk the dogs.  I love to hike.  And I have a seasonal love affair with my bike.  See riding is my 'me time'.  I tend to take 'me time' once or twice a week from the time it warms up to 50° until it cools back down to 50°. The wind in my face.  The burn in my thighs.  The sound of the tires crunching in the aggregate.  The freedom to think and feel without interruption.  Love my 'me time'.  But I don't think of it as exercise.  There is no consistency.  I do it as I need it.

I promised Myka (That would be my sweet ride. A beautiful 16in, 2008 Specialized Myka Sport. White with red butterflies 'tearing' out of the frame. A pretty sweet ride indeed.) that after the Tour de Cure, I would take her in for a tune up and cleaning.  Afterall, a happy bike means a happy ride. And she deserves it. And I've taken my sweet time getting her in.  So I felt I needed to do something else to get out and move.  I think we all know what's coming...

                                                               Myka. She's pretty sweet.


I took up running.  Well I move my legs more than walking and bounce a little. Running would be a generous description of what I am actually doing.  But I'm doing it.  And not some fancy 'couch to 5k training' program.  Been there, tried that, FAILED.  And I hated it.  I tied my old worn out shoes and was determined to do it.  So I did. I walked to the preserve a half mile away from the house and picked a spot and said 'I will run there' and went.  And when I got to that point I stopped, stretched, and picked a new spot.  And so on.  I walked and ran 3 miles that first time.  And I went home and took a shower and felt ok.  Not bad for my first run since high school.

I woke up the next morning and felt awful.  I was incredibly sore.  My feet hurt and were completely stressed out.  My knees were on fire.  Muscles I didn't realized I had even used were audibly ticked off with me.  And I wanted to cry.  'This is why I don't run.'  'What the hell was I thinking?'  Work was painful.  And I knew it would be weeks before I would do that again.

And it was.  3 weeks.  To be fair, Tour was the week after the run and there was NO way I was going to stress my body out while I was in the final stages of training for 30 miles.  I don't know what it was.  I just couldn't quit this time.  I needed to move while I was waiting for Myka to be done at the shop.  I needed to find 'me time' with the 2 dogs at home (who always need to be in the exact same spot I am).  I am stubborn to a fault sometimes.  I looked up a few tips and picked out that I thought would help.

I decided to tape my feet for arch support (a little trick from playing soccer).  The only tape I had was painters tape.  So I used it.

                                                 Pre-Run injury prevention. Thanks 3M:-p

Carry the water bottle was stressful on my hands (I clutched it until I thought it would tear).  So I grabbed one of my running shirts with the pockets in the back.  Fits the water bottle perfectly.  Bonus: I can carry my inhaler in the pocket and not carry it either, AND my phone fits in the 3rd pocket: running tunes!

My feet went numb.  I found a site that suggested threading my laces 'straight' at the top of my foot not in an X pattern.  So I did.

And I went out.

I had a path in mind that combined walking and running and stuck to my plan.  I moved slower than a turtle, but I pressed on.  I went 4 miles, with about half of it actually running.  I got home sweaty and exhausted.  I did what I set out to do.  And I felt pretty darn proud of myself.  The next morning was sore, but not awful.  The little tricks made a big difference.  And I made myself do it again 2 days later.  I wasn't going to give up.


And I haven't so far.  I plan out my runs for Tuesday and Thursday nights.  This way when the school year starts again, this will still fit into my schedule.  I am slow.  But I press on.


I have a blister that covers the complete instep of my right foot.  It is extremely sore to the touch.  It finally dried out and broke open last night half way through my run.  But I  press on.


I have so many bug bites.  They have welted in spots and are impossible not to itch raw.  But I press on.


The tendons in my feet are tearing and healing after each run as they get used to the impact.  There are a few mornings it's been hard to walk.  But I press on.


My neck and shoulders are stiff from my running posture.  I am learning how to hold myself correctly, but it's a process.  It's interrupted my sleep a few nights.  But I press on.


I feel a bizarre sense of accomplishment after I finish each run.  I can actually feel my body responding and getting stronger with every mile.  After 6 consistent runs, I can see physical changes in my body.  My thighs are tighter.  I've lost inches around my middle.  My arms are slimmer.  (My tush looks great!)  I never set out to lose weight or even really change anything.  I just wanted to get out and move and my normal mode of outdoor movement was in the shop.  I understand how people can say running is addicting.  I have found my mantra 'each step is one more than yesterday'.

I'm not sure how I can say this, but I'm pretty sure running will stick.  I still don't 'like' it, but I love how it makes me feel.  Powerful.  Accomplished.  I know I can set reasonable goals that are tangible.  I've already met a few.  I am enjoying the challenge.  I even rewarded my feet last night with a new pair of shoes.  Happy feet means a happy run right?

                                                               Pressing on...in style.

Resurrection

Wow, my first post in...well a long time. It was my hope a better phone meant more blogging. In reality it means more distractions. More Facebook. More twitter. More YouTube (scary, auto correct knows that word). More ways to stay current, and yet more ways to disconnect. See it's not that I haven't been writing, I've just found more solace going low tech. There are several pass of paper around my house with words, thoughts, ponderings, musings scribbled across them. I love to write. and nothing will ever replace the joy of a blank piece of paper and a good pen. Even the script I wrote for River City Theatre Company was mostly written in a notebook.

I find I can be more ethereal on paper. Scratch out, write over, rearrange. More organic. There is no back space. No delete. The original is always there. Maybe it's that I can be more honest. Look at it; digest it before I share it. I can refine it. I can hide more. I can add more layers so it isn't as naked and exposed. I'm all for honesty. But there is a fine line between being open and being sensational. I share what I feel, but I never look for pity or even understanding. Sometimes it's just easier to put it out there for people to read than to have to say the same things to multiple people. And if someone reads my ramblings and can relate and suddenly doesn't feel so alone, then I've done a bit of good.

So I have more to share. This year...the last few months have been quite a journey. Sometimes victorious, sometimes painful, but always beautiful. So if you can bare with (and Swype and Auto correct...which both are out to get me), I'll share more. I promise.

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