3 miler and the beauty of new streets

Saturday I took a nice 3 mile walk. It was beautiful (albeit a little windy) and I got much farther than I was expecting. 3 miles in about an hour - not bad. It can be improved, but not bad.

Today it was gorgeous where I live. It was forty, the sun was shining and the snow was melting everywhere. You could see grass (and the inevitable mud) and it was like the world was waking up from a cold slumber. I had gotten out of work early and the telephone interview I thought I would have didn't happen. I had an hour to kill so I thought, "Hey, why don't I take a walk?"

So I did. I walked down to the edge of campus and then turned left - not something I've ever done walking or running. Then I turned down this street I've been on at the other end, but this end was new. It was beautiful. Some of the houses were dilapidated and desperately needed some window cleaner and a power wash, others perfectly pristine. There was one that looked like a white version of a Virginia Monticello home - columns and all. I really don't know why, but it was breathtaking to see such variety in houses on one street. Such variety in styles, in colors... even in the furniture I was able to glimpse through the windows.

I then turned back onto campus, catercorner from where I had turned away from it earlier. Stopping at the coffee shop for a meeting, I felt completely at peace. And also inspired. Inspired to walk to new places and not just to the state trail that's about a mile away. Walk all around this beautiful town. It makes sense, considering I only have a few months left on this campus before I'll be on to my summer internship and then Wales.

The past few days have been hellish for more than one reason. But I don't know how, but that walk today seemed to erase the miserableness.

Motivation and a Slight Change in Plans

So, last time I posted it was Monday my day off. And since then I've run... none. I've walked, ellipted, biked and did water aerobics though!

It's hard to get myself motivated to run. Partly because it's so difficult for me to do to begin with, and partly because my running buddy and I have totally different schedules. The only time that most nights we can run is around 7 at night. I don't know about where you guys live, but it's DARK in Wisconsin at 7 at night. I don't want to run in the *dark* dark. Not only am I less sure about my footing, but people in this town really don't know how to drive.

So, I think what I need to do is to revamp my plan. I still want to do that 5K - because I want to say I've done one. But maybe I don't need to run it. Maybe what I need to do first is to make a committment to exercising at least half an hour at least five days a week. And when I've gotten into the habit of that, I can reconsider the whole idea of running. Because by the time I get into that habit (I read somewhere it takes 66 days) it will be Easter break and just about the time of the 5K. And so, if I'm in that habit of doing different exercises or just getting out and exercising, I think my health will improve. I think my endurance will still need work but my muscles will be more used to exercising.

In recap, I'm not dropping my goal, I'm being more smart about it and listening to my body, my schedule and what I really want.

Day Off

Yesterday was my day off. Mondays are a bit insane for me - until I change my schedule I have something from 8 in the morning until 8 at night. For that reason I'm declaring Monday as my off day. It'll be much better when I change one of my classes but for now, it stands.

I like the idea of an off day. It means time to sit back, relax and get your muscles back to being pain-free before pushing them again. My cross-country and track coaches would both say that it's only through pain that you are able to better your body. It's only through running on dead legs that you build the ability to push through. And maybe that's possible. Maybe they are 100% right.

But I also think it's a good way to get an injury. Not taking a day off or cross training? Yeah, that's not exactly a smart thing to do. Which is why I have one day a week that's my "off" day and one that is strictly reserved for my favorite cross-training activity - water aerobics. Maybe I'll end up running on my cross-training days as well.

For now I'm taking things by ear and letting my body tell me when enough is enough.

Day 1 & 2 recap

Oli and I set out, ridiculous hat and SpeeEch sweatpants and all. Our goal - jog about 12 minutes, turn around and job 12 more back home. I got about past our university when I needed to walk. My chest and windpipe were on fire. I ended up alternating jogging and walking until our turn-back spot. Conveniently, I got a break at our turn-around spot because a truck was attempting to back into a driveway and blocking our way.

On the way back, I ran maybe a fourth of it. But, there was also a nasty hill and some people don't like to shovel. (Surprise, surprise) so I was attempting to jog through some very slippery snow.

I wouldn't say that this run was successful, but it was a good start. Oli convinced me that I had run almost a mile and that I could do this. I hope that as I get more in shape I will be able to complete a run without needing to use my inhaler afterwards. I want to be able to complete a run without feeling like my insides are going to die.

But...on the good side, my body was deliciously tired last night so I went to bed and slept amazingly. It was when I woke up and pulled myself out of bed that I realized: I am SORE. My legs and especially the insides of my upper thighs, are in some pain. My abs are as well - that I attribute to not having good running form. So I'm definitely not doing my planned 2 miles today. Instead, I'm going to do some abs and figure out my schedule for the next few weeks.

The Reasoning

I am not a runner. Let's just get that out in the open.

I joined track my freshman year of high school to get in shape. Ended up being manager and not running. I joined cross country senior year of high school to get in shape. Ended up being manager and not running. Sensing a pattern here?

Well, this time is different. (Yeah, I know, you've heard it before.) It's different because I have someone who is going to be right beside me, running the whole way.

It started with one of my good friends, Oli. She explained her plan to run a half-marathon and asked if I wanted to work out with her once a week since our yoga class had been cancelled. I agreed. Somehow, that morphed into my running at least 5 times a week, most of the time with her.

So, with the idea I wanted to run a 5K Carroll hosts in April, Oli invited me to run with her today. (Details of that run to come.) And so it began.

I have my reasons for wanting to do a 5K. Sure, some of it is because 5K seems like a just far enough away goal. But I have selfish reasons: I want to lose weight. Last doctor's appointment I was 15 pounds away from a weight I said I would never get to and I came to the shocking realization I have gained 20 pounds since starting college in the fall of 2010. And I want to be healthier in general.

But really, here's something that I don't think I've told anyone before: I want to fall in love with writing. I love the simplicity of it. I love that it's you, your shoes and the sound of your shoes hitting the pavement. I love that it can be a solitary endeavor or with friends. It's portable and with the right equipment, I can run inside on days when the weather is nasty. (I go to school in Wisconsin - that's about 75% of the time.) I have always been drawn to running - it's why I went out for track and cross country. But I never had someone to push me. Someone there, right beside me saying "Ann, seriously? You're a LION!" or "Don't think about running. Think about your hat. Think about its ridiculous bobble on top."

So there you have it. My reasoning. The plan is going to get modified a bit as my work schedule gets finalized, but I'm going to put it up here - mark my words. Because I definitely need you all to encourage me to just run one more step.