I went on my first outside (non-treadmill) run today. I think that first runs should always be done on a warm, sunny, spring day, when the pure joy of being outside after a long winter buoys you up and helps you ignore how terribly out of shape you are.
My guess would be that it would greatly improve your attitude. I say "guess", because my first run was at 6:30 am on a 42 degree dark and cloudy morning - so I wasn't feeling the love. At all. Actually, by about mile 1.75, I hated running with a passion. I thought of the surge of joy that I feel every time I start off on a bike ride; the "this is where I belong... I love this!" feeling I get every time I ride.
Running doesn't give me that. It humbles me and gives me pain.
I did try out a new iPhone app - RunKeeper - this morning, and it may help me actually make good on my commitment to run a 5K. I turned it on when I started my workout, and it used my phone's GPS to track my speed, location, and distance. At the end of your workout, you can view a map of your run (or other activity) as well as a chart of your speed and elevation changes.
Toxicgirl c25k w1w3 workout
Anyone who has known me more than, say, a day knows how I love me some data. It's like a drug, and it's truly scary how it can change my attitude in a split second. One minute I'm standing in my driveway, certain that I have just finished my first and last ever outside run... then I hit "stop workout" on my phone, and get the summary. Suddenly, I'm in love - more with the data than the running, but it benefits from the sudden rush. "Hey! I did better than I thought! Maybe this isn't so bad, after all. I'll have to see how the chart looks next time."
Next time?? What happened to first and last run ever? My outlook changed so fast I'm now nursing a severe case of mental whiplash.
Sigh. I guess I better go and research preventing shin splints, because it looks like the data high is going to keep me going... at least for a while.
1 comment:
Ice them - not heat! When I used to run competitively, my coach used to make me sit with my feet dangling in the ice bath. The other side of it is that you have to rest them for a couple days, or you just make it worse. So... ice them, then don't run again until Monday.
You totally rock for your dedication to this! Go Toxic Girl!!! That said... if running is not your thing, which it doesn't sound like it is - then don't do it. Biking puts you in your zone - use biking as your method. Forcing a square peg through a circle never got anyone anywhere. (I think I just totally butchered that phrase - what a surprise!). Regardless of the data high(you junkie! *grin*), if it doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't right. Why do you have to run? Why does it have to be this couch to 5K program? There is no shame in saying 'this just isn't my thing' and putting your dedication to a 'couch to 15K bike race' program. Or something like that. Don't torture yourself unnecessarily. But... if you do... my hope is that I can come be tortured with you (eventually)!!!
Now... go ice yourself!
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