Saturday, March 26, 2011

pushing through it

In an effort to be healthier and feel better, I have been jogging/running/walking again.  Today I started week three of this eight week schedule.  By the end of the eight weeks, I should be able to run for 30 minutes without stopping. That may sound fairly easy to some people, but not to me. I am definitely not a runner. Even when I have taken the time to built up the endurance required to do it, I've never been very fast.  I did this program a little over a year ago, but I guess the practice of running didn't stick. It's probably because I am terrified of running on a treadmill, and it's basically impossible to convince me to run outside during Kentucky's extremely humid/hot summer months and cold winter months.

It was 47 degrees and very windy when Chris and I went out today. I wanted to stay in, but my hubby held me accountable by giving some gentle encouragement. He told me I could face the cold! We're not supposed to have very many warm days over the next week, so I didn't have much of a choice. In order to build endurance, you have to practice it pretty regularly. Taking lots of days off basically gets you nowhere.

Week three kicked my butt. Good thing I was expecting it! It's the point where there is more running than walking. The first time I went through the eight week schedule I got discouraged in week three because I couldn't complete it on the first try. I couldn't push through four minutes of running at a time. I remember that I kept trying throughout the week, each day I improved, and by the end of that week I was able to it with ease. This time I did it on the first try!

Sometimes I think running is just as much a mental exercise as a it is a physical one. It really does make you feel better, and it provides sense of accomplishment when you reach the end. If you never thought you could be a runner, you should try it. You might find that anyone can do it if they are willing to take the time to try (and push through just a little pain).

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