I've never been an athlete...
I'm not coordinated enough for most organized sport and my bum shoulder nullifies my minor affinity for volleyball...
I'm also not the most fitness-oriented 22-year-old in the world. I'd much rather be spending time hanging out with friends or canoodling with my hubby than stuck in a gym being exposed to the bodily fluids and offensive odors of strangers. I can force myself from time to time to fit in a good workout....but I've never met a ton of what I would call "success" via gym exposure and I haven't developed much endurance or super-strength. Yes, if I stick myself on an elliptical, I can go and go forever. I can lift weights till my arms fall off and squat until my butt feels frozen in that awkward "clenched" position....but have I enjoyed it? No.
Well I think that's finally changed...
I have finally found something that truly brings me joy in the fitness world. Running. Am I good at it? Absolutely not. But the idea that with patience and perseverance I could someday BECOME good at it fills me with this strange excitement I've never felt with any other activity. About two months ago I decided to give this a try. Why running? Well I had considered cycling like Patrick, but to be honest, that's just too expensive for me. Well, that and I just don't feel any desire to do it. Haha. The lack of desire makes it seem silly to go out and invest in a bike, helmet, seat, handle bars, etc...just to find out that it's all going to end up sitting in my garage untouched from month to month (kinda like my rollerblades). That seems like a sad waste of money. Running, on the other hand, requires only a good pair of running shoes and a water bottle! Now, once you get more into it, I realize there are many more things you can purchase to help the running experience...but for a beginner, it's a relatively expensive thing to "try before you buy", if that's the right phrase.
So, being in the shape I'm in....starting to run was not exactly the easiest thing I've ever done. The only other time I've ever tried to run, it was on a treadmill at the gym and I so miserably failed at keeping a straight line that I kept hitting the hand rails and almost flipped over them. That scared me away for a good, long while. Now with my new-found inspiration to run again, I pretty much just googled "proper running form" and "running tips for beginners" then hit the sidewalks with my puppy in tow. I was a little disappointed when I found I could only run for maybe a minute at a time between 4 or 5 minute walks, but I figured at least I'm not just sitting at home on the couch watching reruns of Glee on Netflix. I felt so much better once I found out that as a beginner runner, I'm SUPPOSED to start with short intervals of running/walking until I can build up the endurance to run longer. So Patrick and I hunted me down some clearance running shoes and I've been working at it ever since!
I started with maybe 1 minute of running to every 5 minutes walking for about 30 minutes a couple months ago.
Yesterday I finished my first 5k. Okay...so it wasn't the kind of 5k I'm aiming for...I still walked part of it. But I'm now able to run 10 minutes at a time instead of 1....and I can go a longer distance. Progress! It's so incredibly fulfilling to see progress like that! My next goal is to run the whole thing on the treadmill....then run it outside. I want to participate in my first 5k race in June or July....and I actually think I might accomplish that!
I've found a running store near my house with great employees who have evaluated me and given me tips on gear and trails, I've found a running magazine that inspires me with articles and instruction, and I've found friends at work and church who offer me advice and support. I can do this! The feeling I got after completing my run yesterday was incredible. It was nothing like anything I've ever experienced after a normal workout at the gym. I was truly, honestly proud of myself. I was excited to see myself finally reach a goal I set for myself and I can't wait to continue. I love it....and the better I get, the more I'll love it. I don't just want to run....I want to be a runner.
- Megan
I'm not coordinated enough for most organized sport and my bum shoulder nullifies my minor affinity for volleyball...
I'm also not the most fitness-oriented 22-year-old in the world. I'd much rather be spending time hanging out with friends or canoodling with my hubby than stuck in a gym being exposed to the bodily fluids and offensive odors of strangers. I can force myself from time to time to fit in a good workout....but I've never met a ton of what I would call "success" via gym exposure and I haven't developed much endurance or super-strength. Yes, if I stick myself on an elliptical, I can go and go forever. I can lift weights till my arms fall off and squat until my butt feels frozen in that awkward "clenched" position....but have I enjoyed it? No.
Well I think that's finally changed...
I have finally found something that truly brings me joy in the fitness world. Running. Am I good at it? Absolutely not. But the idea that with patience and perseverance I could someday BECOME good at it fills me with this strange excitement I've never felt with any other activity. About two months ago I decided to give this a try. Why running? Well I had considered cycling like Patrick, but to be honest, that's just too expensive for me. Well, that and I just don't feel any desire to do it. Haha. The lack of desire makes it seem silly to go out and invest in a bike, helmet, seat, handle bars, etc...just to find out that it's all going to end up sitting in my garage untouched from month to month (kinda like my rollerblades). That seems like a sad waste of money. Running, on the other hand, requires only a good pair of running shoes and a water bottle! Now, once you get more into it, I realize there are many more things you can purchase to help the running experience...but for a beginner, it's a relatively expensive thing to "try before you buy", if that's the right phrase.
So, being in the shape I'm in....starting to run was not exactly the easiest thing I've ever done. The only other time I've ever tried to run, it was on a treadmill at the gym and I so miserably failed at keeping a straight line that I kept hitting the hand rails and almost flipped over them. That scared me away for a good, long while. Now with my new-found inspiration to run again, I pretty much just googled "proper running form" and "running tips for beginners" then hit the sidewalks with my puppy in tow. I was a little disappointed when I found I could only run for maybe a minute at a time between 4 or 5 minute walks, but I figured at least I'm not just sitting at home on the couch watching reruns of Glee on Netflix. I felt so much better once I found out that as a beginner runner, I'm SUPPOSED to start with short intervals of running/walking until I can build up the endurance to run longer. So Patrick and I hunted me down some clearance running shoes and I've been working at it ever since!
I started with maybe 1 minute of running to every 5 minutes walking for about 30 minutes a couple months ago.
Yesterday I finished my first 5k. Okay...so it wasn't the kind of 5k I'm aiming for...I still walked part of it. But I'm now able to run 10 minutes at a time instead of 1....and I can go a longer distance. Progress! It's so incredibly fulfilling to see progress like that! My next goal is to run the whole thing on the treadmill....then run it outside. I want to participate in my first 5k race in June or July....and I actually think I might accomplish that!
I've found a running store near my house with great employees who have evaluated me and given me tips on gear and trails, I've found a running magazine that inspires me with articles and instruction, and I've found friends at work and church who offer me advice and support. I can do this! The feeling I got after completing my run yesterday was incredible. It was nothing like anything I've ever experienced after a normal workout at the gym. I was truly, honestly proud of myself. I was excited to see myself finally reach a goal I set for myself and I can't wait to continue. I love it....and the better I get, the more I'll love it. I don't just want to run....I want to be a runner.
- Megan
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