This morning, when the alarm went off at 5:40, I did not want to run. As I got dressed, I did not want to run. As I lay on the living room floor stretching my back, I did not want to run. As I checked my mileage for the day on the computer and the Weather Bug chirped about a heat advisory, I did not want to run. And as I walked out the back door, latching my water bottle belt, I did not want to run.
I moved slowly through the thick, humid air.
The breaths did not seem to fill up my lungs.
In grad school, I had a friend, who was probably depressed, but on some days she wouldn't get out of bed. She would say, "The gravity is simply too strong today."
That's how I felt. Gravity encouraged me to lie down and rest rather than running or working.
I walked to warm up and considered whether I could walk the entire route for today's schedule -- 4 miles. It would probably take me forever to walk 4 miles. I'd better run. So I did, but when the light changed and cars crossed at the half mile mark, I stood gratefully breathing. At the mile marker, I took another break and walked some. I ran most of the way interspersing some walks to catch my breath.
My running friend Pam pointed out that I "get into" running in the spring. She notices these kinds of things and I'm oblivious to fluctuations and schedules. I should ask her when I usually lose my enthusiasm. I'm guessing about July 11th.
My body does feel battered and bruised. Not just from the running and the new shoes that rubbed the wrong way.
Grace and I started doing P90X again, so, on many days, I have two work outs.
Last week, I rode my bike to work one day, and "laid it down" with me on it. It couldn't really count as a wreck because it was in slow motion. I forgot I had my foot clipped to one of the pedals and when an 18-wheeler turned right on red, I had to stop, not too quickly, but quickly enough to make me forget I couldn't put my left foot down. I ended up with some bruises and scrapes on my legs.
Getting in shape requires taking the road through battered and bruised while avoiding the turn off to broken.
So hopefully I'll keep running, and doing P90X, and occassionally, like today, riding my bike to work.
I'll try not let gravity win today.
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5 comments:
Sandy and I call days like this "lead Mondays" but I love the "gravity is too strong today" too. I personally didn't struggle until I got out the door and began running (and I use that term very loosely). I took many walking breaks today too. It was one of the worst runs I have had in a very long time.
I think one of the lessons that long distance running teaches us is to be able to persevere through sustained misery. We know from experience that no matter how miserable we are at times, we'll survive it, and the payoff is usually always worth it. As miserable as I was this morning, I'm really glad that I ran.
Oh my...persevering through sustained misery. You guys are not talking me into this running thing...AT ALL! But good for you nonetheless. What is P90X?
Delana, It's an exercise routine. 6 days a week. Different exercises on different days to work different parts of your body. Really strengthens the core.
I have been on vacation and haven't exercised in 2 weeks. I am starting to miss it.
Okay, I did that bike thing one time and Marty laughed so hard I thought he might hur himself. We weren't even that good of friends yet. Still makes me smile too. Misd you
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