Run G Run

I have been working on getting better at running.  It’s tough for me because I am not athletic in the least bit.  These past 6 months are the most I have worked out ever.  And stayed consistent.   When we go to the gym every Tuesday and Saturday, I run as well as walk on the treadmill.   It usually goes like this.  Walk for 2 mins, run for 5, walk for 30 seconds, run for 5 and I do that until I hit 1.5 miles. I have been getting better at it and am finally comfortable with it.  Some days I can run a mile straight without stopping, but most days I take quick breaks in between.   I am super proud of myself for getting this far with my fitness.  Running has always been something I thought was outside of my comfort zone, but now I’m actually really enjoying it.

Since I finally got the treadmill down, I thought it was time to challenge myself again.  Try running on concrete.  This thought was a terrifying one to me.  Treadmill running, ok, anyone can do that if they try.  But concrete running…that was for, like, real athletes.  I can’t fake my way on this one.  There is no moving conveyer belt helping me along.  It would be me.  All me.

I asked Rob, my running coach, if he would help me with it.  He’s my go to guy and always helps me get out of my own head when it comes to fitness.  He’ll make me feel like I can do it, so I’m lucky to have him supporting me. He said he’d take me out, just let him know when I’m ready.  The only problem with that is, I’m a procrastinator and can find any reason in the world not to do something.  So of course a few weeks went by of me thinking “maybe today’s the day” and then finding something more important to do, like re-organizing the Tupperware cupboard. 

Lucky for me, Rob knows me all too well.  And he knows he’s got to “jump me in” to get me going.  So today he called me up and said he’d be getting off work early and did I want to give it a shot.  I k new I just had to dive in, so I said ok.  I was nervous, unsure of what to expect, but I knew I had to just go for it.

Now that I have done it, I can say that it was a lot harder than running on a treadmill.  It took a lot more power to keep going, but I didn’t hate it.  We ran 2 miles in 24 mins, so I’m happy with that.  I don’t know how long it will be before I get myself on concrete again, but I’m glad I experienced it and conquered my fear.