Energy

Photo taken by Ian

When I first started running at the beginning of last October it took me 12.5 minutes to run 1 mile. I actually ran 1.6 miles in 20 minutes & I remember feeling like I was running uphill the entire time. Though it was a mighty challenge for me I wanted to do it because if you have been reading my past posts I was looking for some of those magical endorphins. I found it amazing that within my first 10 minutes I experienced a shift in my attitude and I was sweating. I like to sweat, but unless it's hot outside I usually don't while I exercise-at least, not a lot. I could be riding my bike outside on my favorite trail traveling 15-20 miles per hour & I barely break a sweat. So this is good news that I was sweating. Dr Oz the informative DR that appears on Oprah regularly, suggests we sweat at least 3 times per week. It makes me feel like I am taking care of myself properly when I follow DR Oz's suggestions.

Yesterday while squeezing a quick run in before going out for the evening, ( I had to mention that because once in a while I really love going out at night) I ran 3.2 miles in 33 minutes. That means it took me 10.31 minutes to run 1 mile! That also means I have shaved 2.2 minutes off of my running time. Don't get me wrong-it's not as if getting faster is my goal. Mainly I am just trying to run-something I find fairly difficult to do. I kind of assumed this would take place as I continued running over a period of time. It has & I'm glad because this means I can cover more distance in a shorter amount of time providing me with a more intense workout. I remember one of my running mentors explaining to me to start out slowly & gradually increase my workouts by time first, that I shouldn't worry about speed. Doing this I believe is what prevented me from getting injured. At least I didn't get injured by way of shin splints or other running side effects. It would be dishonest of me if I neglected to mention that I did take a nasty spill that literally sent me airborne for what seemed like an eternity causing a trucker to stop & wait for me to land so he could ask me if I was alright. As I was flying through the air I wondered exactly how I would be hurt in the end. Finally when I rolled to a stop, my only injury turned out to be a dessert plate sized purple bruise on my upper thigh. I didn't enjoy getting hurt, but it did make me feel young again.

Lastly, I am sure losing the 10.8 pounds definitely helped increase my speed. After all, I couldn't imagine running while carrying a ten pound weight.

Jesse puts into words why I actually am starting to like running now. I think after I read this I realized how running inspires me.

I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs. ~Jesse Owens