My Breakthrough Moment

I woke up this morning feeling really sore from the past couple of workouts. Using the weighted gloves for Turbo Jam is absolutely killer on my arms, and after doing it two days in a row, I was feeling kinda destroyed. At least my arms are gonna look great! Anyway, I decided to skip the cardio party and go to the gym instead to give running another try.

I wasn't feeling terribly enthusiastic about it, considering the fact that my last run was horrible and I almost threw up everywhere. I wasn't ready to give up altogether, but I went into today's workout without high expectations. I figured as long as I could see improvement, even just a little, I'd be happy.

The last time I posted about running, my sister Hannah and my friend Liz offered a couple of tips that could possibly help me not feel so miserable, and I wanted to try them out today. First tip: set a slower pace. Hannah said to try setting the treadmill to the point just after I'm forced into a run. That point happened to be a lot slower than where I had tried to set it last time, and to my surprise (and extreme pleasure) it helped. A lot. I could actually breathe and keep up my running for a good amount of time. I wasn't wheezing or gasping for breath, which was a pleasant change. Second tip: do a manageable amount. Liz told me that people who are just starting out running sometimes try to do too much and end up dreading it the next day. For me, I think I was trying to go way too fast and too far on that first run. I dialed it back a bit today and saw major improvement. (Thanks, guys! You have no idea how much I appreciate your advice and support!)

And the final thing that helped me on my run today? I stopped watching the time and instead started watching the distance. I was still alternating running and walking, but this time I was switching after every 1/4 mile. Not watching the seconds count down really helped me mentally because I knew I'd be in it for a few minutes, so I might as well just relax and breathe.

I ran/walked 2.25 miles today. It took me half an hour. By the time I was finishing my cool-down walk, I was grinning from ear to ear. I had actually enjoyed my run, and with that thought came my breakthrough moment. Today, I realized I can do anything.