Running in the Rain

An Update on My Goals

Well after not posting and doing very little running, I am back! What can I say? I seem to use any excuse not to run. I did go check out my semi-local running store. The closest store kept not having their Saturday group runs when I was actually able to make it, so I moved on to the next closest store. 

What a crowd! I talked to the first person I saw. She explained that basically there is no official training program going on right now, which is when I will likely see people my pace start showing up. So, even though there are 50+ people there every Saturday, I end up running alone. However, many of them are running many more miles than me, so I am not the last one back. At least when I show up I know I can make myself do 6 miles.

So I found out they are starting half marathon training on January 9th. I'm going to an informational meeting on January 2nd. The schedule is set up to work with the Cincinnati Flying Pig Half Marathon on 5/1/16.
I'll admit, it is a little intimidating. My area is pretty flat, so not only do I have to train up an additional 7 miles of distance, I have to be able to handle some possibly extensive uphill  running- though mile 10.5 until the end looks mostly downhill. 

Despite how crazy my work schedule is going to be, I think this is something I'm going to have to do. I'm very demotivated. I'm up to 185 lbs (my low has been about 179 since I've started losing weight as a basis for comparison). I've been running about 2x a week- usually a long run of 6 miles and then a normal 3 mile loop I always do. 

And I've got to get started soon! I'm a little concerned that a sudden increase in miles might do some damage, and the first week of training calls for 13-16 miles, so I need to at least be doing 3 times a week for a few weeks before 1/9/16! So hopefully this blog will be about my experiences training for a half marathon pretty soon!

Rocking My New Gear

As additional incentive to start going out more, I did get a few new items for Christmas! I mostly ask for running stuff. I'm finally at that age where I don't really have many hobbies and since we live an apartment and have a toddler, I don't want a lot of stuff or knick knacks that can be thrown around!

My husband got me this Outdoor Research Helium II Jacket. I have always made the excuse when I hear it raining in the morning that I can't go out, so now I have no excuse. I also got some new socks and some new capris. 

I had the chance to try out my jacket this morning. Other than being caught in the rain, I have never actually run deliberately if it was raining outside. This is also the first thing I've owned to run in that was supposed to keep out the rain, so I really have no basis for comparison. Overall, the jacket worked pretty well. I wore my armband and earbuds underneath with no problem. It has a brim on the hood, but I did have some trouble keeping it below my hairline. My torso was basically dry when I was done, but my lower arms were wet- which didn't make a ton of sense to me because they are all the same material. Overall I was pretty comfortable. The fit was a little off for me- I carry some of my weight on my lower abdomen so it was a little snug there. 

The rain was pretty steady, not a downpour, but definitely not a drizzle. I only ran a little over 2 miles. Obviously my pants were soaked, as were my socks and shoes. There is probably some sort of trick to getting my shoes dry, but all I know is I'm not supposed to stick them in the dryer. So, they are just sitting in my bathroom with the fan on? I should probably do some research.

2.19 mi | 27:30 | 12:35 min/mi

Chubby Runner Problems

In an effort to motivate my husband, I offered to go with him when I forced him out of the house to do C25K. He complained and got crabby, but we made it to the park down the road after dinner. I turned on the app and we got going.

As I suspected, despite the fact that I often take more steps in a day than he walks in a week, his 6'2" body will just naturally go faster than the legs that come with my 5'2" body. I think the first few one minute runs he was going as fast as 6 mph. Even his walking pace put me to shame. However, I could see that it was quickly catching up with him. After the first few intervals he asked me to push the stroller.

The loop around the park is 3/4 of a mile. After the first loop I offered to take our son to the playground so my husband could keep going. I can honestly say this is not laziness on my part- my son has difficulty being confined and I could tell he was already getting bored.

But to get to the complaint the title of this post references... shorts. I see all of these runners at races in their short shorts- which I understand, I would LOVE to be able to wear shorts when I run. BUT, shorts are something that I am unable to wear. For the first few months when I started running I had just had a child, but even before that I felt so chubby that I didn't think I should show my legs in public. Why wearing workout pants that are nylon or spandex and fairly form-fitting is so much better than shorts? That I can't answer. But somehow showing the skin crossed the line.

This past summer I worked up the nerve to buy a pair of running shorts now that I was down 30 pounds or so. I brought them home and tried running up and down our long hall with them. They had spandex built in under the top layer, which seemed to solve all my problems! That week I tried to squeeze in a short run before dinner, so I thought I would try them out. Epic fail. As soon as I started going that spandex rolled up and the top material bunched up. I was showing FULL leg. I might have been able to live with the exposure if that didn't mean my thighs immediately started rubbing together. I can't say I started chaffing, but I didn't give my legs the opportunity to do that to each other. I turned right around and walked home.

So on this run with my husband I thought, why not try them again? Since I'm down 5-10 pounds from last time, surely this has to go better? Even though I wear the shorts around when I run errands and always have to pull the spandex down, somehow there will be a different outcome.

Well, the outcome was the same. I don't know why I bothered. And I can't help but wonder, how much weight do I need to lose in order for shorts to function properly when I run? And can I lose that amount? I ask this when I just had a work-provided lunch of a Potbelly sandwich, chips, and a giant cookie...

On a related note, I have these awesome C9 leggings or tights I wear to run in the winter. They are awesome, my legs are never cold. However, what I have discovered through several very nearly embarrassing sets of trial and error is that they fall down. Without fail. UNLESS, I wear cotton granny panties. And I say cotton because I haven't really gone through the effort to acquire granny panties in other materials.

Now, I don't know if this is a chubby girl problem, a flaw with the pants, or a general runner problem? I love the pants otherwise. And I can say that no amount of running around in my house allows me to identify this issue. Somehow going further without taking off the tag makes me feel bad, like going that 100 feet will cause me to have microscopic sweat that gets on the pants.

But, I haven't lost enough weight to make shorts an option, and I haven't gone down a size yet in the running tights. So for now, I will have to live with apparel not really designed for people of my build!

Panerathon Cincinnati 2015

On Sunday I ran in the Panerathon 10K. I knew nothing about the race, other than it was cheap, near my apartment, and I wasn't aware of any steep hills in that area.

My intent had been to do shorter, lighter runs all week after my great 6 mile run the previous Sunday. I took of Monday as usual, but that day I left to go to Orlando for a conference. Since I wasn't familiar with the area I thought I might be better off on the treadmill. My mistake! I don't know what it was, but as I was running the room started to feel like a sauna. I only ended up running two miles, which I guess is a light run.

Despite my best intentions to get out the next day and just run outside, I ended up sick that night and the next. I got home Thursday evening, but didn't feel 100% Friday. On Friday I discovered that the race was on Sunday, not Saturday, which just threw a wrench in the plans I had made. My son was going to be at his grandparents' house Friday night since my husband had to work Saturday morning. I had planned a solo spaghetti dinner. And then we could also enjoy ourselves Saturday evening.

I have no excuse for not running on Saturday. I was just grumpy after my crummy week and didn't want to leave the couch.

I really struggled to get out of bed on Sunday. So far my race morning routine has been to have a shake or smoothie and some water, hang out, get dressed, and then eat a poptart or a piece of toast on my drive in. I did the same thing here, except I forgot to grab food before I left.

I got to the race and picked up my packet and shirt. I realized that since it was in the 50s, my normal tank top was leaving me a little chilly, and I seemed to be one of 3 people who was wearing one. I tried on my race shirt in the parking lot since it was at least short sleeved, but it didn't feel that comfortable for running since I got one that was a teeny bit snug. Is it terrible to change in the parking lot if you have on a sports bra? I feel like I got the side eye from some people. I certainly wasn't showing off, I was kind of doing it behind my car door, and I don't have much to be conceited about.

I had a little bit of difficulty finding the starting line, so I just went to the cluster of people and tried to face the same direction they were. I could hear someone was talking into a microphone, but it wasn't audible. I eventually heard the countdown and everyone started running.

I don't know if it is better to start in the back of the pack when you are slow, or in the middle or front. In the back of the pack it almost seems lonely and you don't really even get a sense of all the people. Further to the front you just see everyone pass you, and that speed can make you feel off on your pace. I found myself feeling slow compared to everyone else because they were passing me, but I looked down and I was running almost an 11:00 mile, which is way too fast for me to start with.

The course runs about a quarter of a mile back to a long road, where they have you run up one side, then back down the other. There are some gentle inclines, but nothing too bad. The 5K participants split off to go back to the Panera when they come back, but the 10K runners run past that entrance to the shopping center to a point further down the road where they turn around and do the loop again.

I once again found myself with the jog/walkers and some people who make me think, "Do I really look that slow?" There was even one tall man who was practically strolling and keeping up with my 12:00 mile time. But I like having some people around me. It gives me something to push for, to catch that person in front of me. There were even 5K people going so slowly that I was passing them when I got closer to the finish line!

At the finish line were some bounce houses, some fire trucks for kids to explore, and kids crafts to participate in, as well as food from Panera.


http://panerathon.com/cincinnati-panerathon/

Here is my overall review:

Pros:

• Price
• Not too many elite runners- which is good if you want to try and place. 
• Location- very accessible
• Cause- you can feel good because you are running for charity

Cons:

• Street cleaning- is it normal to see 3 dead animals on the road? And then since you are looping you see them more than once.
• Food- if you are finishing near the end like me they only had a handful of plain and blueberry bagels left. That's fine, but the reminder that you missed out on cinnamon crunch and cherry vanilla because of the signs makes it sad. Most of the sandwiches left were Mediterranean Veggie. Having worked at Panera, I find that few people order that sandwich, so why would you make so many!? I realize that this is upsetting mainly because I'm a picky eater, so this is not a con for many.
• Course- the repetitive loop was a little boring, but I do that on my own long run so I can't complain too much.
• Walkers- while this was not a problem for me, I could see that there were a lot of people really taking their time and taking up most of the road. I started to see the faster 10K runners having to navigate around them a lot as they came back to do their second loop. 

Overall I would run this race again for the price. I'm a sucker for t-shirts. My time was great! I finished in 1:14:50, or a 12:03 pace. I didn't think I could possibly go that fast, which only makes me think more and more that maybe I should try that 15K.

Feelings of Euphoria

Today was a great run! I thought it would feel better than it has in a while when I saw a high of 66 and a current temperature of 52. So not only did I get out and run, but I made my husband go as well.

While we all complain about exercise before we get going, and maybe even during when we push ourselves, I don't really know anyone but my husband who complains so much AFTER. Sure maybe you are sore, or the workout kicked your butt, but you have all those endorphins running through you, and you feel great about what you did. If he ever experiences that feeling, he has never expressed it.

So I pushed him to try and start the C25K app again. He did it with me when we were trying to work out for our wedding, but we both probably only made it to week 3 or 4 (and we both managed to not gain weight, but were unsuccessful in losing anything). He has zero interest in running, but he has zero interest in any physical activity other than maybe shooting a basketball. Since our son is at an age where he is either going to run away when you turn around or scream if he can't make the basketball go up, I feel no guilt in pushing the running with a stroller.

He headed out the door and so did I.

I always try to keep my pace around 13 mph for the first two miles. Other than my actual 10K race, I have barely been able to sustain that pace, and often get slower as I go on. Today, I found my speed increasing. Eventually I just stopped looking at my pace and just running however I felt like running. I know I have enjoyed running in the heat and humidity less than the fall and spring, or even winter. I have also read that you can see speed decreases as the temperature climbs. I just had no idea mine were that significant. It was hard to see because even in the summer when I felt slower, I was still faster than last summer when I was just getting started running.

Days like today remind me why I run. Just when I was questioning whether I should think about doing something else.

When I returned, my husband did not feel the same way. But I didn't let him get me down.

I checked out facebook and saw a friend of mine had signed up for the Hot Chocolate Run in Columbus.

http://www.hotchocolate15k.com/columbus/

My sister had been requesting that I come up and do it as well. Two months ago I thought, "Why run the 5K when there is a 15K?" A month ago I thought, "No way I can do the 15K. Why bother going up?" Apparently 5Ks are now beneath me even though I finish back of the pack, because at no point did I think, "Sure let's do a 5K." My sister is not a runner at all, and has no interest, but she likes fun runs. She would not be joining me in the 15K distance.

So despite my last post where I decided, why not stick to the 10K and work on getting faster? I think I may sign up for the 15K. I figure, if I want to get faster I am supposed to have my long runs be longer than a 10K. I should at least be able to finish a 15K. Of course I will do that and somehow think, "Oh, that half marathon is just 3 or 4 more miles, why not?"

So what's three more miles when you have awesome 10K speed like this:

6.00 mi | 1:14:08 | 12:21 min/mi

Where Do I Go From Here?

From my research (googling), it really looks like I have a decision to make. Right now the longest race I have run is a 10K. I was really happy with my time personally, though I am nowhere near even the middle of the pack. I have not made the progress on getting back into training that I would like- especially this week when I was up in the mountains on a work retreat. Let me tell you, mountain trail running at 9600 feet? I was barely above a walk and my heart was racing.

My attempt to run 6 miles yesterday fell flat. It was so hot and humid that I gave up after 3. I think when I ran the 10K several weeks ago it was just like I had given my body a short break and I was fully recharged. At this point it is really just showing that I am not training where I was.

But back to my decision. Is 10K where I stick for a while? From what I have read, it is very difficult to get faster and go further. My big goal is to at least do a half marathon. Maybe I go further than that eventually. BUT, given my current speed, I don't know that I have the TIME to train for even the half. When you go as slow as I do, I need about 1.5 hours to go out and run 6 miles. Do I have the time to run 2-2.5 hours one day each week, and an hour 3-4 other days a week? Plus the weight training...

Or do I stick here? I know weight loss will make me faster, though it would have to be pretty substantial to REALLY make a difference. However, substantial weight loss is what I need. But if I stick here I can focus on getting my time down before I move on to bigger things. Maybe I can get down to that sub 10-minute mile eventually. Or at least down to a time where I can finish a half marathon in less than 3 hours so I don't have to worry about a pacing golf cart picking me up.

I think that is what I'm going to do. I am going to stick around the 10K for a while. See how the weight loss and the winter goes. In theory, if I really want to run a half marathon, from a 10K I probably only need 2-3 months of training to at least be able to finish a half marathon.

My husband is finally on the weight loss bandwagon with me. Of course, so far that has meant cutting back on snacking after dinner and eating yogurt instead of poptarts for breakfast, which translates into weight loss of several pounds in one week. I'm not bitter.

For me, I'm trying to go to a slightly less processed, less sugar, more veggies, and less pasta route. I love slimfast shakes for breakfast, but I don't think the sugar is doing me any favors. I'm trying to make my own shakes using Trader Joe's Whey Protein Powder- the chocolate one.
 
I'm adding a couple cups of spinach, vanilla-flavored almond milk, and a few frozen strawberries. I guess I was hoping it would taste like a chocolate-covered strawberry. Once I logged it in I realized it really isn't helping my lower sugar thing. However, I can hide a lot of spinach in there without really noticing any taste.

So now I'm torn because I'm not sure which one is better for me. The slimfast has a lot of vitamins, even though they are put in there chemically. Something about me putting spinach in a blender makes me feel healthier. And maybe I can figure out some other things to add as well. I have to keep it fairly low calorie because I haven't developed the willpower to eat a 400 calorie dinner, and I have to snack between meals to not be miserable. I also haven't developed the willpower to eat plain veggies as a snack, which would solve all of my problems...

Victory!

I got out of bed! My alarm may have gone off at 5:10, I may have snoozed until 5:25, and I may have even dozed while sitting upright in bed until around 5:35, but I finally got back out there! I also may have gotten out the door before I realized that I had completely forgotten to pull my hair back. And I may have dropped the brush on the counter, and it may have then fallen on the bathroom scale, all of which was very loud and woke up my husband...

I could have sworn I had run at least a few mornings in the past 3 weeks- I guess some of them were while I was out of town. But holy cow it was dark out! And I nearly walked into the web of a monster spider. I went back to take a picture when I was done, but it was gone. Probably for the best. I had an irrational fear that the flash would make it angry, and maybe it would attack me somehow.

I don't know if anyone uses the knuckle lights? But I'm going to have to bust mine out tomorrow morning if I make it out of bed. I really like mine. I've found that I only need one to run with. Which is good because somehow the other one got knocked into the washer, so I'm not sure it works.

I also had another small victory this morning on the scale. I had VERY recently recommitted myself to trying to get on the weight loss bandwagon. So far that has just meant that I logged back in to myfitnesspal,com. I put in everything I eat- but that hasn't stopped me from eating. Yet somehow I have managed to drop 3 lbs this week. It's probably water weight- that is too much too fast to be much else.

Unfortunately (for my weight, not for my tastebuds) I am going out with co-workers to lunch and a baseball game this afternoon, and then possibly out to dinner with friends. I am such a picky eater is it incredibly hard for me to find a healthy out-to-eat meal. And how can I go to a game an NOT get nachos? And these thoughts are how I got into the situation I am in- where I need to drop another 40 lbs if not more.

I am currently down 46 lbs. This has not been a steady drop. This has taken a few years, with big spurts and then no movement. I can at least say proudly I haven't gained it back (except for that part where I had a child and went nuts eating Captain Crunch). That drop has been the difference between me shopping at Lane Bryant and being able to simply walk into any store and pull something off the rack. And while I can say now that I am capable of eating in a way that at least allows me to maintain my weight, or maybe even lose a little, it is the running that allows me to see real progress in weight loss.

My next race is another 10K - the Panerathon Cincinnati. http://www.runningtime.net/Races/PanerathonCinti/home.htm  I have to stay on top of running if I have any hope of performing as well at this race as I did at the Little Miami race.

I am running to lose weight, I am running to be in better shape. I don't know if I want to get faster or go further yet. It is something I really need to think about.

8/27 Running: 3.05 miles, 39:28

Little Miami 10k

About a month ago I decided to run a 10k- because why not? I felt like my running had really gone stagnant. My long runs used to be 5 miles, but it seemed like it had been a few months since I had gone that far. And there was always some reason to cut my long runs short. After some googling I came across the Little Miami 10k. It seemed perfect- close, soon, and flat.

http://www.littlemiamihalf.com/

Training
Wait, I was supposed to train for this? I started by increasing my long runs from 4 to 4.5 miles. The next week I said to myself, that went so well, why not try this 5.75 mile loop you just mapped out? Well the answer to that question is because it is 87 degrees outside, humid, and it turns out the route has a lot of uphill sections.

I ended up walking a longer chunk of that than I care to admit- which was really disappointing when I had been able to run 4.5 miles the previous week with no issue. But I celebrated my calorie burn with chocolate milk and a carton of fried rice (did I mention a big part of this running thing is supposed to be losing weight?)

The following weekend I took another stab at it- 6 miles. I was going to run my normal circuit twice. After some reading I realized I had been focusing on speed and distance, and what I needed to do was run a little slower if I was going to make this happen. 13 minute miles- that was what I was going to push for.

The long run made me realize I needed new songs on my playlist- being out that long meant a good chunk of my music played twice. I also realized that while a 13 minute mile felt slow for the first 3 miles, I didn't feel like a 13:45 mile was slow after that- and that ended up being my average pace when I finished the 6 miles.

The following week I don't know what happened, but I really only ran twice during the weekdays. On Saturday my nephew was injured and put on life support. On Sunday I tried to run the six miles again. The sadness, and congestion from all the crying and getting a cold, really just made it miserable. I barely did 3 miles. I was hoping the endorphins would make the day more bearable, but it just didn't quite do it.

Because of being sick and just general sadness, I didn't really run the week before the race.

The Race
I was extremely concerned about my ability to run the entire race. While I hadn't run in the week leading up to it except for maybe a few miles, I had tried to watch what I ate. I hate vegetables, so if I try to eat them I generally rely on stir fry. The night before I definitely ate too much spaghetti.

The morning of I had a slim fast shake when I woke up and a poptart as I was driving. I've found that the slimfast shakes don't bother my stomach when I run and give me some fuel before the long runs. Its probably the sugar, but it works.

I got there in plenty of time to see the half marathon runners start (they go 30 minutes ahead of the 10k). I thought that would give me plenty of time to use the bathroom one last time. Since I'm a total priss, I skipped the port-o-potty line and went to the park bathroom line. BIG mistake. I wondered why the line was slow- turns out there was one working stall. It also turns out the stall had holes in it so if the front of the line was too close they could basically watch you. Also there was no soap- at least the port-o-potty would have had hand sanitizer. By the time I got out the race was about to start, so I wove my way to the back of the pack where I belong.

Once the race started I quickly established myself in the back. I seem to run at a speed that averages out to the same pace as some of the run-walkers. I run by them, but they would pass me when they started running again. It was almost a game to try and pass them, but I refused to go much faster than my 13 minute mile. I was also behind a lady for several miles that made me question what I look like when I run. To me it looked like she was shuffling along at a pace that couldn't have been much faster than a walk- but she was clearly keeping pace with me.

Eventually after several miles I found myself wanting to get past people I had been with for a while, and others who had started at a faster pace but had fallen back to the back when they couldn't sustain it. Once I started passing I realized I didn't feel bad when I went faster, so I kept it up. Toward the end I'm pretty sure I was running something around an 11:00 mile, which is flying for me. My total time as 1:17, compared to my goal of 1:20.

Afterwards I felt great. I didn't really feel like I needed to recover, or that I had just run my farthest distance yet.

The only let down was when my Garmin somehow erased the race data!

Pros and Cons of the Little Miami 10k
Take this for what it's worth given my far from elite runner status:

Pros:

• Shade- it just made the whole course feel wonderful the whole time. It was possibly the most comfortable I've been on a run in months.
• Flat course- unlike some, I find the distance challenging enough
• Number of participants- In the few races I've run I sometimes find myself fairly alone- slower than most runners but faster than most walkers. However, due to the loop of this course I could see everyone run by, which I liked, and I never felt too alone. But it wasn't crowded at all.
• Time- I know most runs are in the morning, I liked that it was at 7:30 before it got too hot.
• Nature- It was prettier than running around with nothing to look at.

Cons:

• Shirts-I was not a fan of the t-shirts. They were technical shirts, but a heavier kind. And they were white. I got an XL (many races I go with an L). However, it was still tight and because of the white you can just see everything under it.
• Swag bag- just nothing exciting. There really weren't any fliers for other races or anything at all. I know that isn't the point, but sometimes there is good stuff!
• Packet pickup- times just seemed a little limited. Doable, just not great.

I swear, next time I will try to remember to take pictures...

Morning Runs- or a Lack Thereof

I have always been very selfish with my time, and being a mom has really made that a challenge. I once read that being an introvert and a mother can be difficult because you miss that alone time to recharge. It seems weird, but I feel like it rings somewhat true for me. If you ever have to take one of those personality quizzes like Myers-Briggs, it will tell you where you fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum. And it is a spectrum, not a bucket. Unless you are me who usually scores 90% or higher as an introvert.

What this means for me is that when my son goes to bed at 8:30 and I need to get up around 5:20 to run, I have only a limited amount of time to play with, but one of my priorities always seems to be some alone time. I always feel like I need a break right when he falls asleep. On top of everything else I seem unable to function well on less than 7-8 hours of sleep. So do I take that 1-1.5 hours to do something I want to do alone like read? Do I spend quality time with my husband? Do I accomplish some of that cleaning that seems impossible when my son is awake?

Or do I take the 4th option and stay up past 11 and somehow miraculously expect to get up and run? I was wide awake when I woke up at 3:30, but with all the tossing and turning after that it just seemed impossible to actually do anything but hit snooze when the alarm went off.

And maybe if I was a faster runner, I could trot out and run my 3 miles in the morning in 25 minutes. Would that somehow make getting out of bed easier? An extra 30 minutes before the alarm went off? For those of you doing math, it doesn't actually take me 55 minutes to run 3 miles, I'm just generously rounding.

I can't blame this on my son, though. How often was I really getting out of bed at 5:30 am to run before he came around? What he has done, though, is forced me to prioritize much differently. Unfortunately, I am finding lately that I want to stay awake and read rather than go to bed so I can get up to run.

I've got to change my attitude an adjust my priorities. This running thing doesn't come naturally to me, and I'm not sure it does for anyone. I am rarely excited to roll out of my bed any earlier than I have to. And while there will be a brief time where it is 55 degrees outside and WONDERFUL to run in, that will quickly slip down to 30 and 40 degrees where it is even harder to get out from under the covers.

I've read it takes two weeks before doing something like getting up to workout becomes a habit. I've yet to run consistently for two weeks since we moved at the end of June. When I look out at my calendar for the next 3 weeks I have 2 out of town trips for work where I am uncertain if I will have the means or the time to run.

So here's hoping I can roll out of bed tomorrow and get those 2 weeks started, and that I can find the means to keep it up.

Background

I never thought I would call myself a runner. While I was on the track team in grade school and high school, I was a lazy participant. In grade school I threw the discus and shot-put, but I also ran the 100M and 200M. Sometimes a 400M was thrown in if my coach forced me. But I ran those distances because to me they were easy. I could do pretty well without ever really practicing. Once I was in high school, they suddenly wanted me to run around the track multiple times to prepare to run those distances! I said, "No thanks!" and moved over to throwing exclusively. 

Fast forward 10 years or so - past all the fast food, lying around the house, never going to the gym, and general disregard for my health- and I had the crazy idea I wanted to run the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, which is a 5 mile run that starts around 7 AM. Last Thanksgiving it seemed like everyone I knew was wearing their shirt from the event while eating their turkey- while I was just wearing a sweater and eating just as much, even though I had done nothing that morning except make a big breakfast to indulge in first. 

This decision to run was just another idea for me. I had been dieting and trying to work out, and I had at that point successfully lost around 20 lbs. In my mind running was just going to make the pounds melt off (I still had a lot more to go).

I downloaded my couch-to-5K app (C25K by RunDouble) and started the process on a treadmill. If you are not familiar with the process- the program builds you up to 30 minutes of running using running and walking intervals- with the running amounts increasing over something like 8 weeks. On the treadmill I was doing run intervals at a speed of 5 mph, or a 12 minute mile. I got stuck on the week where you run 3 5-minute intervals. I kept getting a stitch in my side and it seemed like I would never make it past that week in the app.

So, why not get pregnant and just give up on working out completely? I can't excuse this- I know if you want to be fit you have to make it a priority. I can only say I was working a TON because of a major acquisition and pregnancy made me want to go to bed as soon as I got home. 

Fast forward AGAIN - past gaining all the weight back plus another 5, having a baby, then dropping the weight except for the extra 5- and I decided that once I got the all clear from the doctor I was going to try this running thing again. Except with a baby. And outside. With a stroller. 

Running outside was scary to me- I didn't understand how someone could run without a TV. Wouldn't you be bored? And isn't outside HARDER? And how do you push a stroller while doing it? Well, it turned out the stroller thing wasn't too bad. That was actually the only way to get my son to nap. And huffing and puffing and praying that the interval is over really does seem to fill up the time. Eventually I was able to complete the C25K program, even without the stroller! 

One problem, at the end of the program I could run for 30 minutes straight. It turns out that running for 30 minutes does not always equate to a 5K distance...