Sunday, July 10, 2011

Well, that didn't exactly go as planned....

Four months between posts wasn't in the plan, but neither was a couple of month's hiatus from The Program due to getting sick again. 'Getting sick' for me is when my arthritis flares, as I'd posted back in March. My foot and my knee flared, making walking somewhat of an everyday challenge, let alone running. Once my knee settled after a couple of months, I got back running again. Then, I got gastro and was out of action for a couple of weeks. Following that, I dropped a piece of firewood on my left foot (just under my little toe), and it's still bruised three weeks or so later.



When it comes to running, my feet are my great asset and my biggest liability. My feet take me from A to B easily when I'm well, but when they don't 'work' properly, every step is painful and takes energy and effort. I'm used to pain now, and managing it has become a part of my daily life, but funnily enough, it's when I'm running that I don't notice it. Maybe it's the ultimate distraction therapy, be it at the gym on the treadmill or out on the road, for whatever reason, I'm too focused on something else to notice the pain that's always there. That in itself is a good reason to stick to The Program. However, when I've finished a run, I'm hobbled for while, but it's worth it for what I've achieved :-)

I'm 'in training' for the City to Bay 12K fun run in Adelaide on Sept 18th. For me, having a defined goal has really shifted my mindset in this whole running gig. I've got a training plan to follow, and each session I finish is another step closer to my goal, and another step along my path to becoming a runner. I've been reading Hot (Sweaty) Mamas and Mile Markers, and in one of those books I read that it takes the human body about 3 months to become 'exercise conditioned' (or something like that), meaning that after 3 months of regular exercise, this becomes the 'norm' for your body, and you start to miss it if you don't do it. I want to be like that. I want to *want* to run, to walk, to do resistance training.

I went on my awesome run today because of what I read in Hot (Sweaty) Mamas last night, about excuses. That chapter could have been written about me, and it was still in my head today as I was contemplating if I was going to run, and if so, where (outside or gym). It was about 10degC, windy, and raining, and I laced up and headed off. And it was glorious - I've never run in the rain, or into a headwind, and I couldn't believe I actually liked it. If I'd listened to myself, I would have missed out on that experience, and now I know I have no excuse not to run, as cold and wet as it can be. I ran (and walked, baby steps) for nearly 5K, the longest in ages, and even now, 9 hours later, it still feels good, even if I am still hobbling :-)

So The Program starts again. Week 3 of training, and this week I'll introduce some resistance training as well. But it's not just about 'starting a program' this time. As I've posted before, it's about a lifestyle change, about changing my mind set and habits, and fighting those excuses that come all-too-easily. Changes I plan to make 'stick', for the times, they are a-changing :-)

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