Went running by the lake for the first time in months Tuesday night. I made it about 2 miles before any sharp pains in my shin. My doctor told me to stop running at the first sign of pain, so I walked a bit longer.
At first I wasn't going to go. I was sitting in my apartment in full running gear, petrified. I couldn't get my body out the door. All the old fears of feeling stupid and being worried about how I look when running came rushing back to me. I went and got the ziploc bag I saved with words of inspiration from last year's marathon, took each one out, and read them all. Seeing the amazing things my friends and even strangers said about me running made me realize it didn't matter how I looked, it just mattered that I was out there. So I tucked in my favorite sage advice in my running pack, and walked out the door.
Running, music pulsing through my body, feeling strong as my feet pounded against the pavement, felt so amazing. As I was finishing the run and waiting for the bus, a rain shower exploded around me, and here I was, standing on the beautiful museum campus, the Chicago skyline behind me, under a giant oak tree soaking wet and grinning like an idiot, completely in love with my running and that moment. I just forgot how alive running makes me feel. It just felt so amazing.
It feels good to be back. Run Lisa Run is back on the course...
Now if only this damn leg will stop acting up. Hrmph. Come on feet (well in this case shin), don't fail me now!
Showing posts with label Happy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Happy. Show all posts
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
So bringing it...
It's 3 am and why am I not asleep? Because my body hurts. A lot. It hurt earlier, and I took a nap, and now sleep is so not happening.
Why is my body in pain you ask? BECAUSE I RAN 20 FREAKING MILES!!!!
20 MILES!!!!
AHHH!!!! ROCCKKKKK!!!!!!!
And my pace has improved (thanks to my new switch easy I can track my runs on my iPod again, hurrah!)! All is well!
To be honest I really am not as sore as I thought I would be. I was more sore on my last big run (15 miles) than this one. I feel this is a good sign, right?
So I do my big runs on Monday because I work Sunday and don't want to run Saturday and not be able to move Sunday morning. So there I was Monday, in my stupid looking fanny pack gagging on GU packets and shuffling along. I even got lost in a harbor! Go figure, I actually try to follow the assigned running trail for the marathon training course, and I end up next to a porta potty in the middle of a harbor. But running along the lake gave me a great view, so that was a nice way to pass the 6 hours or so I spent outside. I did the 20 miles a bit over 5 hours, so it still looks like I'll be finishing the marathon on the sidewalk, (the Chicago marathon course cut off time is 6.5 hours, lame) but all I really care about is finishing it, ya know? I'll worry about medals later in my competitive running career.
Yes, I said competitive running career. I've decided to stick with running post marathon. Me and my Dad are already planning on running the Indy 500 half marathon this next May (you get to run on the Indy 500 track, neato!), and I'm already talking about pacing myself over the next year in order to finish under the 6.5 hour mark and get a medal next year in Chicago.
I've officially gone off the deep end, right? I was talking on the phone while I ran, was smiling during my 19th mile, hell I'm even jogging now! My average pace for my 20 mile run was in the 16:20's! Dare I say i enjoyed it?
Yup. I sure did. When I was done I had a flood of emotions. I was tired, my body was numb, I needed to pee and needed protein (the two main P's in my life right now), but I was crying on the phone to my Mom because I was so freaking proud of myself. Never in a million years would I have thought I could do something like this. Most runners don't even attempt to run marathons because they don't think they'll be able to do it. And here I am, trucking along, doing something that 6 months ago would have seemed like a ridiculous suggestion in my then state of health.
Did I mention I also stepped on the scale yesterday? It said 273. When I started this whole crazy thing I weighed around 295. Do the math and that means I've lost 22 lbs!!! Since late May! And the best part is knowing that since muscle weighs more than fat, and I now have pretty bitching leg muscles, that my body is in even better shape! I'm starting to notice things too, like I can run up stairs, that my body shape is changing, and my second chin I've talked about a few times? It's pretty much all gone. Booyah second chin, take that.
So despite the Debbie downer attitude I had last week, all I needed was some tough self love, I little heart to heart with a few friends, and 20 miles to make me realize just how far I've come and just how awesome I am.
Taper time begins now. I run 5 miles today. The best part is when you see 5 miles and your like, "wow, that's all I have to run?"
Marathon in 18 days! Let's get ready to rumble...
Why is my body in pain you ask? BECAUSE I RAN 20 FREAKING MILES!!!!
20 MILES!!!!
AHHH!!!! ROCCKKKKK!!!!!!!
And my pace has improved (thanks to my new switch easy I can track my runs on my iPod again, hurrah!)! All is well!
To be honest I really am not as sore as I thought I would be. I was more sore on my last big run (15 miles) than this one. I feel this is a good sign, right?
So I do my big runs on Monday because I work Sunday and don't want to run Saturday and not be able to move Sunday morning. So there I was Monday, in my stupid looking fanny pack gagging on GU packets and shuffling along. I even got lost in a harbor! Go figure, I actually try to follow the assigned running trail for the marathon training course, and I end up next to a porta potty in the middle of a harbor. But running along the lake gave me a great view, so that was a nice way to pass the 6 hours or so I spent outside. I did the 20 miles a bit over 5 hours, so it still looks like I'll be finishing the marathon on the sidewalk, (the Chicago marathon course cut off time is 6.5 hours, lame) but all I really care about is finishing it, ya know? I'll worry about medals later in my competitive running career.
Yes, I said competitive running career. I've decided to stick with running post marathon. Me and my Dad are already planning on running the Indy 500 half marathon this next May (you get to run on the Indy 500 track, neato!), and I'm already talking about pacing myself over the next year in order to finish under the 6.5 hour mark and get a medal next year in Chicago.
I've officially gone off the deep end, right? I was talking on the phone while I ran, was smiling during my 19th mile, hell I'm even jogging now! My average pace for my 20 mile run was in the 16:20's! Dare I say i enjoyed it?
Yup. I sure did. When I was done I had a flood of emotions. I was tired, my body was numb, I needed to pee and needed protein (the two main P's in my life right now), but I was crying on the phone to my Mom because I was so freaking proud of myself. Never in a million years would I have thought I could do something like this. Most runners don't even attempt to run marathons because they don't think they'll be able to do it. And here I am, trucking along, doing something that 6 months ago would have seemed like a ridiculous suggestion in my then state of health.
Did I mention I also stepped on the scale yesterday? It said 273. When I started this whole crazy thing I weighed around 295. Do the math and that means I've lost 22 lbs!!! Since late May! And the best part is knowing that since muscle weighs more than fat, and I now have pretty bitching leg muscles, that my body is in even better shape! I'm starting to notice things too, like I can run up stairs, that my body shape is changing, and my second chin I've talked about a few times? It's pretty much all gone. Booyah second chin, take that.
So despite the Debbie downer attitude I had last week, all I needed was some tough self love, I little heart to heart with a few friends, and 20 miles to make me realize just how far I've come and just how awesome I am.
Taper time begins now. I run 5 miles today. The best part is when you see 5 miles and your like, "wow, that's all I have to run?"
Marathon in 18 days! Let's get ready to rumble...
Thursday, July 19, 2007
I DID IT!
I FINISHED 7 FREAKING MILES! I ran, I jogged, I walked, I felt pain and happiness and so much more, and I DID IT!
When I was done, I was in a state of euphoria. I was so sore and tired, but I wanted to cry with joy. I wanted to shout and hug all the "roid rage" guys at the gym and just go crazy.
I never would have thought even a month ago that I could finish a 7 mile workout. Hell, I wouldn't have thought I could have finished 5 miles at that. I was even afraid that I would get 5.5 miles in, and collapse. Never would I have though I could finish 7 miles, NEVER. I am just in complete awe of myself. Every time I think about what I'm doing, how I'm actually getting healthy and making my life better, I just start crying. I'm just so freaking happy and proud of myself.
Today I was watching a re-run of the Biggest Loser on Bravo while I ate lunch, and it just made me smile and cry (again). Anytime I see people getting healthy and changing their life, I just get so filled with joy.
Even things that feel like setbacks empower me. For example, I received my Team Care runners shirt in the mail today for the marathon. It's a reallly nice shirt, UV protecting and helps with sweating, but its a womens XL. I haven't worn a womens size shirt in years, and I wear a guys XL, and even that can be tight at times. I just laughed, actually put the shirt on, and low and behold, it actually went on my body! Didn't fit, but I just smiled, because I know that it will fit in the future, that it's a goal to reach and something that I know I'll conquer.
I've done so much in the past few months that I never would have thought I could have done. I've ran more than a 10k run, I've ran 59.56 miles total to date, and I've gained so much self love and confidence that I've been missing in my life.
I still have a long way to go, but I know that my life is already worth so much more, and I'll only continue to grow with every mile I run.
When I was done, I was in a state of euphoria. I was so sore and tired, but I wanted to cry with joy. I wanted to shout and hug all the "roid rage" guys at the gym and just go crazy.
I never would have thought even a month ago that I could finish a 7 mile workout. Hell, I wouldn't have thought I could have finished 5 miles at that. I was even afraid that I would get 5.5 miles in, and collapse. Never would I have though I could finish 7 miles, NEVER. I am just in complete awe of myself. Every time I think about what I'm doing, how I'm actually getting healthy and making my life better, I just start crying. I'm just so freaking happy and proud of myself.
Today I was watching a re-run of the Biggest Loser on Bravo while I ate lunch, and it just made me smile and cry (again). Anytime I see people getting healthy and changing their life, I just get so filled with joy.
Even things that feel like setbacks empower me. For example, I received my Team Care runners shirt in the mail today for the marathon. It's a reallly nice shirt, UV protecting and helps with sweating, but its a womens XL. I haven't worn a womens size shirt in years, and I wear a guys XL, and even that can be tight at times. I just laughed, actually put the shirt on, and low and behold, it actually went on my body! Didn't fit, but I just smiled, because I know that it will fit in the future, that it's a goal to reach and something that I know I'll conquer.
I've done so much in the past few months that I never would have thought I could have done. I've ran more than a 10k run, I've ran 59.56 miles total to date, and I've gained so much self love and confidence that I've been missing in my life.
I still have a long way to go, but I know that my life is already worth so much more, and I'll only continue to grow with every mile I run.
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