Saturday, December 29, 2007

Brought to you by the Number 5!


I didn't run yesterday (Friday). And I didn't get up in time to make it to the start of the 5 mile group run organized by bootcamp. It was too warm for my liking, about 98% humidity and I wasn't feeling it this morning, not even one little bit. But I just switched myself to "RUN" mode and did my best to alternatively ignore and silence the nagging little voice that kept telling me that maybe I'm just a 5K kinda girl and that a half marathon wouldn't be THAT cool to finish. I took a LONG time to get ready to head out the door which was my only concession to the voice's constant droning. I took my 4 mile route from home and modified it to make it a 5.3 mile loop. I finally got out the door and on my way. SLOWLY and HEAVILY and with a lot of unnecessary whining from that same voice through the first mile. It was not an easy run, but it was doable, into the second mile I realized that I would finish 5 miles and would walk the last .3 to cool down and stretch my legs. It would take me awhile but my conviction that it was definitely doable finally shut up the inner whiner.

Truth be told, even though I did do the Stone Mountain loop several weeks ago according to mapmyrun it was just about 4.8 so now I can honestly say, based on my frighteningly accurate new Garmin, that I have now really really run 5 miles. The last mile was a bit torturous but once you get past halfway it just seems tragic to stop so I just kept setting goals up ahead and then when I'd reach them I'd glance at the Garmin and see how much further I had to go. Just .8, just .45, just .3, just .22, just .15 etc. By the end I was checking when I passed every other mailbox. My breathing was fine, but my legs were DONE and I started walking as soon as that magic number 5 appeared.

The walking was DELICIOUS. My legs almost felt like they were purring as I slowly and languidly stretched them forward in long graceful strides. I think I'll try and build a little walking cool down into the end of my runs from now on.

I'm continuing to drop pounds, down by 12 now. Wearing a pair of denim crop pants that used to give me MAJOR muffin top but which now feel almost roomy. Take THAT Holiday Bulge. Really, I've been eating small quantities I guess, but I haven't been censoring what I eat. I've had my fair share of chocolate, I've been drinking moderately, I haven't been eating my veggies and I've been really having to work to get protein in with all the sugar and starch lying around the kitchen.
MMMMM, that reminds me, the pumpkin pie (with rum) is calling . . . .

5 comments:

j said...

i think a few months ago you would've said that you weren't a mile kind of girl. i love hearing you define yourself and then break out of it.
Also, every run, or workout doesn't have to be your best. It doesn't lose its value by not being your fastest or strongest run; just getting out there and doing it is what matters! Hooah!

Anonymous said...

I think you are a half marathon type of girl waiting in line to do a full marathon. The first mile is always the hardest. I set out the other day with thoughts to do three miles and ended up doing eight. EIGHT. The only way I made it through was that every time that voice came up I told it to shut the heck up, and I alternated more run/walk combos than I would have for a shorter distance.

You have it in you to do this. You've been working at it for three months. THREE months! Do you realize how much you have been working out compared to the rest of the South? Even if your heart hasn't always been in the mood to get in the groove, you've done it. YOU ARE AN ATHLETE. You've met the challenge physically, so meet it mentally.

I think you are a badass. Live like one.

Happy New Year!

Zandile said...

Thanks you two! Joanie, your comment really inspired me for my post today. I'm totally inspired by your EIGHT miles too! WOOHOO! What kind of run/walk combos do you do?

Jeff said...

Ya know, 5 miles is not that much shorter than a 10K. Loveya Happy New Year -Jeff

Joanie said...

I try to do 7 and 7's. Sometimes I jog a little more (or scoot) and sometimes I walk a little more, but I try to stick with that. :)