Addendum to My Foray Into Running

Yesterday Doc was between rotations (yay!) and being thus unoccupied, he went running with me. We ran for one solid hour...without walking. We didn't manage to start till 11:15 a.m., so we were running at high noon with the sun blazing in a cloudless blue sky overhead. But thanks to his companionship, I RAN FIVE MILES! FIVE. CINCO. 五. Vijf. Cinq. Fünf. Πέντε. Cinque.

And yes, I hit that wall at about 25 minutes into it when I just wanted to cry and gnash my teeth and I felt overwhelmed and emotionally wrought and like I'd been duped into this whole 1/2 marathon training thing, and that I'd bitten off more than I could chew and should have started out with a goal of running a 5K first what the Zeus was I thinking?

But somehow it faded after a while (and truth be told I did cry a little bit), and the end wasn't as bad as the middle. It's good to know that this is what happens to me, because knowing will help me get through it. Kind of like when you're PMS and your emotions start swinging all over like a monkey in a jungle 'cause those hormones are pumping faster than Iguassu Falls...just knowing why you're miserable can help you get through it. (Sorry about the description guys!)

We were kind of lame for not bringing Swedish Fish or Cinnamon Gummy Bears with us to suck on. I had some in the car but it didn't cross our minds till after the run. We did have water, but I'll definitely be bringing a little sugar boost in the future. It was hot, but thankfully lots of people had their sprinklers running, and I hope no one begrudged me the bit'o water I carried off with me as I ran through them. Keeping cool is key for me, and I live for sprinklers.

I didn't have pain while running, nor were my lungs freaking and I didn't get a stitch in my side. My legs felt wobbly for a few hours afterwards, and the outside of my right knee is a little sore today. I'm trying to stretch it...hoping it's not an injury. But to have done it pain-free yesterday is really happy for me.

Doc kept reminding me that I was doing something really momentous. That for years I've had a mental barrier to making regular exercise a part of my life. That I was breaking down strongly fortified walls in my mind, and freeing myself to reach and grow. That I was doing something GREAT for my body, and that I'd feel so good afterwards, blah blah blah. He really could be an excellent therapist if the whole Doctor thing doesn't work out. His encouragement was so helpful, it truly made all the difference. He has promised he'll try to go with me on my long run with me every Saturday if he can, but his surgery rotation starts tomorrow, which is renowned as the most grueling of all the rotations so it may not happen in the next six weeks. I just hope I can make it.

I can't believe I ran Five Miles! As lame as it sounds, five just seems ridiculously far to me. My sister and I were talking last night and she couldn't believe I'd never run that far before. Apparently she has this inflated opinion of me or something, but the fact is, in junior high I ran the 50 meter dash, one leg of the relay and did shot put, high jump and long jump. Haven't been into track and field since then. So yeah, five miles...lifetime personal best.

This Saturday I'm supposed to run SIX. Sink me...