This past Tuesday was kind of a momentous occasion. Okay, not so momentous, but it was a bit of a breakthrough for me. Tuesday night I ran for the first time in a month.
Why the month off from running? Well, it started about a month ago with a horrible sinus infection. Boohoo? Suck it up and get out there? I challenge anyone to essentially jump up and down outside in the heat with matching humidity while your head feels like it’s stuck in a vice and weighs about 100 pounds. Yeah, it’s neither fun and nor advisable.
The sinus infection was not a picnic in the park, but next came the side effects from the antibiotic, which created digestion and intestinal issues. I won’t go any further, but again try basically shaking yourself up and down when you are already queasy and having cramps. Not advisable.
After about two weeks, I finally was starting to feel better and more like myself. Then came the Olympics. I was more fascinated and glued to the television than ever. I was captivated by athletes that have trained hours each day, sacrificing everything, just for a chance at a medal or the honor of competing at the Olympics.
You would think I would be inspired by these Olympians to get out there and hit the pavement. You would be wrong. Yes, I was inspired, but I became too accustomed to going home at night from a long day and parking myself in front of a “rectangular glowing object” (my WW leader’s Melanie’s words) and stayed there. I would set my alarm for 5 a.m., look outside to the darkness, and reset the alarm for later.
Yes, I was reverting very quickly to old habits and wanted stop the downward slide, but how? It took an annoying and frustrating day to stop that slide. As I was on the express bus heading home from work that night, I was just so frustrated over things out of my control that I needed a way to release it. I didn’t want food to be the answer and made up my mind that I was going to run when I got home.
I got home, changed into my running clothes, headed outside and just started moving. Because I hadn’t run in a while, I didn’t want anything too difficult, so I stuck to a mostly flat route. It was not my best or fastest run. I didn’t even feel particularly good out there and had to stop to walk a few times to relieve cramps in my side.
However, I ran/walked for 30 minutes. And it felt great afterward. It reminded me of why I like to run and continue to sign up for races all of the time.
This was perfect timing too, because I have a 5k race this Saturday. I had not been looking forward to it because I had not run in so long. I was afraid that I would get out there and not be able to run even a mile and would have to walk the rest. I was also disappointed in myself for not running for so long. I forgot that it’s not about how fast or perfect the race is. It’s not about what I did in the past. The whole point is to finish, whether I run the whole thing or just run for a minute. It’s about where I’m at right now and to just get out there and move. I know I can and will finish the race as I have many times before. The point is to just get out there and do it.
And yes, I plan on going for another run tonight.
