Running
I run.
I started a few years ago because I liked the lean, slender, muscular look of distance runners, and I read an article in the Journal about some guy in his 90s who was still fit mainly from running. Also, I was bored with my healthy eating & exercise regime, constantly conscious of the type and volume of food I was eating, and forcing myself onto the boring treadmill for a few minutes each day. I reasoned this way: if I ran I wouldn't have to worry about this any more. I was also very curious about "runner's high". I wanted to experience it!
It wasn't much fun at first. I struggled to finish one lap in the gym and felt zero euphoria. I struggled to run three minutes straight without stopping. The day I did, I felt a small surge of victory -- but not for long, because coach Carla who was always full of praise and encouragement was quick to add, "Now you can go four minutes tomorrow!"
So the encouragement was awesome, but it was too soon to feel any great sense of accomplishment. "Yay, I ran three minutes!" somehow didn't elicit any deep sense of satisfaction. I needed to do more! and so I did.
I started a few years ago because I liked the lean, slender, muscular look of distance runners, and I read an article in the Journal about some guy in his 90s who was still fit mainly from running. Also, I was bored with my healthy eating & exercise regime, constantly conscious of the type and volume of food I was eating, and forcing myself onto the boring treadmill for a few minutes each day. I reasoned this way: if I ran I wouldn't have to worry about this any more. I was also very curious about "runner's high". I wanted to experience it!
It wasn't much fun at first. I struggled to finish one lap in the gym and felt zero euphoria. I struggled to run three minutes straight without stopping. The day I did, I felt a small surge of victory -- but not for long, because coach Carla who was always full of praise and encouragement was quick to add, "Now you can go four minutes tomorrow!"
So the encouragement was awesome, but it was too soon to feel any great sense of accomplishment. "Yay, I ran three minutes!" somehow didn't elicit any deep sense of satisfaction. I needed to do more! and so I did.
It was a series of small victories along the way. It was the encouragement Carla gave us, and we gave each other. For me it was something new and exciting, and each small victory was a reward in itself, and once we did something the first time we knew we could do it again -- plus add a few more steps. Soon I was amazed to be able to say out loud to people, "I ran 12 minutes without stopping!" And it just got better and better, the disances got longer, my legs got stronger.
I was also encouraged by a surrendipitous experience. My neck and shoulders were chronically sore and in my search for a good masseur, I was lucky enough to find Robin Landry RMT of "All About You Esthetics" in Bonnyville who was an Ironman competitor and triathlete. His passion for running was contagious and soon he (whether he knows it or not) became more than my massage therapist, but my coach/trainer as well. He helped me with my running aches and pains, and advised me on proper training. Every time I accomplished something, like the first time I ran 12 minutes non-stop, he was full of encouragement -- but always, always had a suggestion, a challenge to do one better next time, add another minute, try some stairs or hills, stuff that kept me always focussed on improving myself, my form, my style and my time.
My first official run was at the Royal Victoria Marathon in B.C. I ran the 8K. A couple months later I went international -- I ran a half marathon in Las Vegas! That was in December 08 and a couple months later in February I ran the Lost Dutchman 10K in Apache Junction AZ. That fall I moved up to the half marathon at the Royal Victoria event, did the R'n'R Phoenix half marathon, the Lost Dutchman 10K again, a 10K lupus fun run, another half marathon in Victoria, London's Run 10K in Queen Creek AZ, and just last weekend, the Lost Dutchman half marathon.
I've been following other runners online. It's fantastic reading their posts because I share their commitment and enthusiasm for the sport.
My Victoria 8K took 54 minutes. My Vegas half was 2:52 including the 17 minutes I stood in front of a row of dozens of toilets with hundreds of other people. Then I did the Lost Dutchman 10K. My first Victoria half took me 2:38. The RnR Phoenix half took me 2:48, followed by the second Lost Dutchman 10K and several months later a half marathon in Victoria B.C. registering 2:35. My first Lost Dutchman half took 2:32, best time yet. I know some runners can do an entire marathon in that, but I don't care. It's the best I've ever done! I might shave a few minutes off in the next few runs, or maybe not. For me it's not how fast I go, but the whole training procedure, the feeling I get standing amongst strangers as we line up to run, the feeling of solitude AND camaradarie as we move along in clusters, the sense of accomplishment that no one can take away from me as I cross the finish line. I'll run as far as I can for as long as I can. And I'll continue to love it!
I was also encouraged by a surrendipitous experience. My neck and shoulders were chronically sore and in my search for a good masseur, I was lucky enough to find Robin Landry RMT of "All About You Esthetics" in Bonnyville who was an Ironman competitor and triathlete. His passion for running was contagious and soon he (whether he knows it or not) became more than my massage therapist, but my coach/trainer as well. He helped me with my running aches and pains, and advised me on proper training. Every time I accomplished something, like the first time I ran 12 minutes non-stop, he was full of encouragement -- but always, always had a suggestion, a challenge to do one better next time, add another minute, try some stairs or hills, stuff that kept me always focussed on improving myself, my form, my style and my time.
My first official run was at the Royal Victoria Marathon in B.C. I ran the 8K. A couple months later I went international -- I ran a half marathon in Las Vegas! That was in December 08 and a couple months later in February I ran the Lost Dutchman 10K in Apache Junction AZ. That fall I moved up to the half marathon at the Royal Victoria event, did the R'n'R Phoenix half marathon, the Lost Dutchman 10K again, a 10K lupus fun run, another half marathon in Victoria, London's Run 10K in Queen Creek AZ, and just last weekend, the Lost Dutchman half marathon.
I've been following other runners online. It's fantastic reading their posts because I share their commitment and enthusiasm for the sport.
My Victoria 8K took 54 minutes. My Vegas half was 2:52 including the 17 minutes I stood in front of a row of dozens of toilets with hundreds of other people. Then I did the Lost Dutchman 10K. My first Victoria half took me 2:38. The RnR Phoenix half took me 2:48, followed by the second Lost Dutchman 10K and several months later a half marathon in Victoria B.C. registering 2:35. My first Lost Dutchman half took 2:32, best time yet. I know some runners can do an entire marathon in that, but I don't care. It's the best I've ever done! I might shave a few minutes off in the next few runs, or maybe not. For me it's not how fast I go, but the whole training procedure, the feeling I get standing amongst strangers as we line up to run, the feeling of solitude AND camaradarie as we move along in clusters, the sense of accomplishment that no one can take away from me as I cross the finish line. I'll run as far as I can for as long as I can. And I'll continue to love it!
posted by Shnag @ 3:09 PM
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