Look At Me Go!

Thursday (the 22nd). Back in the routine. Good.

At the park, there has not been more than two or three individuals or pairs of people walking. Today there was about ten. It's Earth Day and I guess everyone decided to get out and walk. But some left shortly after I got there or arrived as I was leaving, so it didn't get crowded.

One woman changed directions claiming it was easier to go clockwise than counterclockwise. It's amazing how much of a conversation you can have with a person in the five seconds it takes to pass each other. There is an ever so slight incline in one corner of the park. Like maybe three degrees. It's a challenge. But I go for it.

I liked the short spurts I did on Tuesday and decided I would do that again. I reason if I can get really comfortable and pick up the pace on very short runs, I will condition myself to run longer. I still feel so out of shape, it's pathetic.

I realize I'm jogging very slowly. I try to pick up the speed a little. I can do that. Okay, maybe I'm just not pushing myself enough. During one segment, I actually felt like I was really running. It was a huge confidence booster. I tried to repeat it the next time. Failed. Oh well. I run one-minute, three times over the course of a half-mile lap. You do the math. Does that count for a three minute run? No. Who am I kidding.

I concentrate on what I did differently to make it feel like I was truly running. I think it has to do with form. The angle of my body. How far I pick my feet up. My arms are doing what they're supposed to--bent at the elbow, swinging straight, not crossing over the middle line of my body. I'm breathing through my mouth like I'm supposed to. I'll have that magic moment again.

But let's talk about breathing for a moment. I've read you should do the "talk test." If you can't reasonably carry on a conversation without gasping for breath, you need to slow down. Aside from the aforementioned occassional five second conversations, I'm left to talk to myself. At the risk of looking and sounding like a crazy person, I do it. And every time it involves some pep talk, so I sound like the Little Train That Could, "I can do this, I can do this, I can do this."

Catching Up

Got off track--again. After my run on April 13, Josh was off school the rest of the week with severe allergies. Poor baby was just miserable and I couldn't bear to leave him and go run. It seemed too selfish even though there wasn't much I could do for him. So I postponed my training for another week.

It's frustrating to keep getting set back. Progress -- ha!

Tuesday (the 20th) I trotted around Howdershell Park trying to determine how much progress I lost. I didn't pay attention to the clock, just ran for very short spurts off and on. Okay, more off than on. I didn't get quite as many steps in as the prior week (on the 13th), but I did pretty good.

Two Minutes

Yesterday it was time to run for two minute segments. I did it. Sort of. I'd make it a minute and a half, walk for a few minutes and then run another 30 to 45 seconds. Geez, that's sounds so wimpy and pathetic. Of course Joe Jogger had to zip past me and make me feel even more pathetic. But I did manage to walk past two old men. Woo hoo. It's all relative I suppose. The old men have twenty years on me and I have at least 20 (or 30 if I admit to being that old) years on Joe Jogger. And there is another accomplishment--I completed an extra lap within my 30 minute training (excluding warm up, stretch and cool down). I'll cling to that victory.

Back on Track

Saturday morning I thought I'd try out the track at the high school, but I saw a bus full of baseball players getting off, so I went to Howdershell Park again. I was surpised to see only one other person at the park. There were way more people there on Thursday morning. Guess everyone was home mowing their lawns.

I have my routine down at the park. Walk a half lap to warm up, stop at the picnic bench to stretch, begin my faster walk and nine minutes later start my run, walk, run, walk, run, slow down my pace to cool off, go to my truck and stretch, drive home.

My one minute runs were a little easier this time, but I can't imagine running for 30. I've been noticing a lot more runners on the streets and they seem to be effortlessly jogging along. This training may take longer than 12 weeks. Already, I'm a week off. I should be starting my three minute runs tomorrow, but I'm only at two.

There must be a fine line between pushing myself and pushing too hard. Where is that line? Will I know it before going past it? Or will I look back as the paramedics carry me away and say, yep, there it was.

Where I'd Go?

It's been a crazy busy week since my last post. Had a record-breaking number of shipments to leave the warehouse. Josh was off school Friday and Monday. Bud left for Nawlins. There was LOTS to do. Just call me the queen of excuses. No, they are valid reasons.

Although I didn't walk/run on Friday, I did go on a bicycle ride with Josh. In my book, that counts.

Saturday I went to work and pulled a muscle/strained my back. And I was even wearing a back support at the time. Go figure. The rest of Saturday and Sunday were not good. Bending over was nearly impossible. Monday was better but I had to take it easy. Tuesday was better still, but not quite. Wednesday we woke up at 4:00 am to take Bud to the airport and the rest of the day just evaporated. Went to bed at 8:30 pm.

On Easter of course, I shoveled candy into my mouth. Two pounds lost turned to two pounds gained right back. Better than two pounds up I guess. Darn those Peeps.

So here I am. Thursday. Back on track. Sort of. Supposed to be on two minute runs this week, but I reset and did one minute runs again.

I have discovered the most amazing thing during running. Whatever is flabby on my body is amplified by a hundred when brought to movement. UGH! Wow, I didn't know some parts could move like that. I'm an ugly mix of two ads--Jello and Nike. I'm taking those Peeps out for target practice.

See you this weekend.

Week 2 - Day 5

I'm tired.

Josh woke up - by mistake - at 4 am. He went back to bed and so did I. I feel into a deep, deep sleep. Some kind of alarm buzzed a while later. Did not want to get up, but a little voice whispered, "It's time to run." Not-a-morning-person-Ruth held onto the pillow with a fierce hold and grumbled. "It's time to run."

It wasn't my voice. It was Josh's. How can this child be such a morning person? I drag (literally) myself out of bed. I can do this. I can overcome tiredness. I can overcome NOT being a morning person. I will run. Just do it. Wow, I'm becoming a Nike ad. Must be the clothes.

Look outside. Did you see the big beautiful moon this morning? Gorgeous. Check the temperature. Significantly warmer this morning--at least 15 to 20 degrees.

I get to the park. It's windy on one side. I hate doing anything in the wind. Wind is annoying. The sunrise was equally beautiful. I walk. I run. I walk. I run. I walk. Two elderly women have started walking. It's time to run. I'm too close to the ladies and they're spread out across the path. I'm afraid of startling them. At last, one turns and notices me and they scrunch closer together. I take off. Yeah--imagine a jet starting up. Whoosh. I said imagine.

I came home (showered, ate) and tied weights to my feet. Those would be my steel toed shoes. Went to work and picked up 3,268 pounds. Really. I hefted 76 boxes that weigh 43 pounds each. I think I got enough of a work out today.

I tired.

Day 4 - Week 2

With the forecast looking good this week, my thoughts turned to training outdoors. Obviously my first thought was to just walk out my door and around my neighborhood. Then I realized how many hills are in this subdivision. Hmmm.

Do I want to try to run uphill and feel defeated or run downhill and get a false sense of accomplishment? I decided that during "training" I'm giving myself a even playing field. I'll stick to level, flat terrain. I'll challenge myself with hills later. I need to be as successful as possible to keep my motivation up. I don't want to come up with excuses--I couldn't quite run the full time because it was uphill. I want to be fair to myself.

My outdoor options: Howdershell Park--has a paved half-mile path. Queen Ann and St. Ferdinand Parks-both have paved paths but not sure of the distance. Going a little farther away is Creve Coeur Park and of course the Katy Trail--can't get much flatter than that but I doubt I'll go the whole 300 miles.

Today I chose Howdershell Park. Had to scrape the ice off my windshield since I left the truck out and wondered -- Is today a good day to train outdoors? Seems a bit chilly. Put on another layer and a hat. Remembered my spiffy new water bottle belt but forgot the pedometer.

It was chilly. No, it was cold. Do I wimp out, go back to the truck and go to the mall? Maybe I should plan on going later in the day. No. Shut up and keep walking. Wish I had gloves. Pull my sleeves down around my hands. That feels better. Wishing my "warm-up" had more warmth in it. I pick up the pace and start my nine minute walk. Run for one minute. Walk for nine mintues. Run for one. Walk for nine. Run for one. Start my "cool down" which I don't really want to do since I'm finally feeling comfortable.

I did it! I ran for three one-minutes. Woo-hoo! I know that musn't sound like much, but running is not walking. Duh. Even the difference between speed walking and running is remarkable.

I think I can do this.