Chronicals of a Reluctant Runner - Part One

For those readers who either know me or have read any of my other blogs, it doesn't need mentioning that I am the farthest thing away from a fitness fanatic. In fact, at the beginning of my journey in January of this year, my main goal was to lose weight. That's it, that's all. Fitness and excercise really didn't enter into it then.

Things have changed.

Imagine yourself getting up from the couch in the rec room to go upstairs for a strategically planned bathroom, drink and snack break (got to make sure you limit those trips up those stairs) and getting to the top completely winded and spent after a slow, methodical climb.

Now, fast forward and imagine yourself 50 lbs lighter and feeling total oneness, fluidity and strength in your own body. It didn't happen overnight, but here's part of the story if you're so inclined to keep reading.

Around the beginning of June, after slowly increasing bursts of activity into my life such as walking and cycling, I began to swim and bike regularly. It occurred to me that, like so many Spark People, I could start setting some ambitious fitness goals for myself. Why not? But me? I was just starting to see myself as capable of truly getting fit, so at the suggestion of DH, I started to investigate triathlons since they provide the biking and swimming that I do enjoy (among the few rare forms of excercise that can boast this status). I found that there is a sampler triathlon for beginners called "Try a Tri" which sounded quite intriguing, but there was one major problem. I've never run in my life. I mean, sure maybe I've run to catch a bus or maybe I ran when I played dodgeball when I was really little, but I've spent most of my life as a conservationist: "conserving my enerygy"! LOL

So, the next logical step, it would seem, was to learn to run. Me? run? Really? Are you serious? Not something I've EVER wanted to do and certainly not something I've ever thought I could do, but it would be a necessary thing to learn in order to "get through" the running portion of the "Try a Tri". Echh, thought I, must I?

Step One:

Learn about the Couch to 5K Program.

It only took a tiny bit of researching and much wonderful advice from Sparkpeople folks (you know who you are), of course, to find myself a description of the C25K program and the next step was then to start it.

Luckily for me, the Try a Tri that was scheduled locally was going to be in enough time to allow me plenty of weeks to complete the C25K training so that I could learn to run a 5K. Now, it was about this point that I seriously started to second guess, question my decision to embark on such an endeavor. After all, who did I think I was? This person who has struggled with 20-70lbs of extra weight seemingly my whole life. Me, afraid of fitness, out of shape since I could drop gym in grade 9. Me the person with weak ankles, bad knees and a previously snapped achiles tendon. How could I possibly think I could become a runner? I mean really, truly, get over yourself girl and be realistic. But, I didn't let my self doubts, negative thoughts and trepidation get in my way and ploughed through to begin.

Was I afraid? Yes. Did I think I could do it? No. All I could do was start and see if I could do Day one, week one and go from there. All I wanted to do was get my first step done without injury. Sooo, as you can guess, if I'm writing this, I got through the first day, but not without feeling as though either I was going to die or throw up, whichever came first.

Gradually, though it became a bit easier as I completed weeks one and two twice each in order to comfortably move on to the next level.

Week three coincided with vacation time at my cottage which is usually associated with excess and sloth in all forms. Most years, I will buy and consume all manner of sugary, fatty snacks and meals along with copious amounts of alcohol and other high calorie beverages while I sit and read, watch the kids play or hubby putter. This year, I vowed would be different. And it was.

I can't even describe the victorious feeling that came with running three minutes straight for the first time. I really was amazing and I started to believe that, maybe, just maybe, I could do this THANG!!

As I enter into week 4, I've discovered that the Try a Tri is unfortunately a scheduling conflict with a previous committment and it doesn't matter. By this point, I'm hooked and regardless of goal or no goal, I want to keep running. I managed week 4, day one last night and surprized myself beyond belief that I could run 5 minutes straight and then do it again! In the pouring rain no less. Is that dedication? I don't know what it is, but I have to say, I just don't recognize myself any more. My body is changing, but more importantly, so is my mind.

I no longer look forward to the next time I am alone with food (compulsive eater). I no longer look forward to couch time or TV time. I really and truly look forward to each and every moment I get to hurl my new body through space. I've read this in other peoples' blogs, but never could imagine I would be writing (and meaning) it myself. Now, I swim three days per week, run three days per week and bike as often as I get the chance. I'm a total convert and this reluctant runner may have found a whole new passion.

It seems still so unbelievable, but I hope you keep reading my blogs as I do hope that I can continue to burn through the program and if I am eventually able to run 5K, there WILL be celebrations. Let me tell you!!

Stay tuned.....