Today I was to have my first "Running Date" with a friend Jessica, from my gym, who has far more experience running than I do. Unfortunately we had to cancel our date do to unforeseen circumstances. Let me be honest here, as sad as I was not to be able to run with this sweet lady I was also a bit relieved. The last thing I want to do is hold someone back. Well, actually the last thing I want to do is fall ass over teakettle while running down hill but holding another runner back is a close second. I think next week when I have a little more experience under the sweaty belt of my dorky running shorts I can confidently go on a "Running Date"
So I set off, alone, a little later than usual for me. The sun was a little higher in the sky than what I am normally used to and the sun and I have never been on friendly terms. Heat? Humidity? Bring it on! But direct sunlight is an anathema to us fish belly white skinned freaks so right away I was not happy. Fifteen minutes in I could HEAR my skin crisping and YES I had sunscreen on. I haven't left the house without sunscreen on since sometime in the last century. The 20th.
Still doing the interval thing using Podrunners Intervals First Day to 5K and still not sure I'm liking it. YES, I know interval training is great but it just seems like as soon as I find my groove running I gotta walk again. But I did it and with a lot less pain this time! I can almost stop without whimpering though there was one time when I slowed down & there in my path was a dead mouse and I sort of did this leapy-jumpy thing that IMHO was worthy of SYTYCD...very "Sonia". I believe I heard more of a scream than a whimper and I am pretty sure the scream came from me.
Oh! I almost forgot! Due to storm damage I had to turn back halfway down my plotted path which means I had to RUN UP HILL! My first time. Following the advice of my friend Claudia I put my head down & just kept going and it wasn't too bad. Don't get me wrong it still sucked but it was not as sucky as running down that hill just minutes before when I chanted out loud, "Please don't let me fall, please don't let me fall, please don't let me fall" the entire way down it.
The one good thing that has been a result of my running this week...yeah yeah besides the sense of accomplishment*eye roll* whatever...is that the soreness I have incurred from running has completely eradicated the headaches I was getting from eliminating caffeine from my diet!
Lesson learned this week: THE very best part of running for me is when it's over and I can say,"I don't have to run any more today!"
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Running uphill is part of the cross-country deal, and as long as you don't overdo it, it will really increase your fitness level and endurance.
ReplyDeleteI don't really mind the up hills it's the down hills that scar me!
ReplyDeleteRecently learned that when running uphill, if you swing your head from side to side, even slightly, they balance of the inner ear gets "confused" such that you are not aware of the incline...as much. I was about to nearly DIE about a week ago caught on an unexpectedly long hill, and this saved me from hjurrking (that's Viking for "barfing up a lung").
ReplyDeleteHaven't learned much of a trick for downhills yet, except for trying to soften the knee-impact by trying to bring my feet down at a forward angle (like "grazing the ground") rather than banging straight down on my heels.