that I had in my three ring binders stuffed with workout information. Since I'm not completely new to running- I started at the beginning as suggested but then gauged how easy the workouts were. I skipped forward a few days because jogging for 30 seconds and even a minute was a bit too easy for me. I was excited to do this since I was worried about starting to run so soon after delivering our second child via c-section. There was no way to know how well my body was going to do with recovery this time or with running. I am excited to report- that I am already weighing less than right before I got pregnant! Just 5 more pounds to my first weight goal (putting me just under 160). I skipped 5 days total- which sounds like a lot now that I think about it! Since I started the running program- I've lost 2 inches and average daily weight is down 3-4 pounds from where it was. Currently, I'm walking 5 minutes and jogging 4 minutes- which is not impossible but I can feel how hard it is on my body- specifically my knees. I've always been worried about shin splints since they plagued me in my middle school and high school track and field days but so far they have been kept at bay. I've also been acutely aware of my foot strike as I have been walking and jogging- hoping to keep the shin splints and other injuries away. To digress back to the knees though- ouch! I think I might have to start taking a supplement for them- I took one in the past from GNC called GLucosamine/Chondroitin and it seemed to help. I think those are again in order. But I'll keep working on the mechanics of this running thing. I had to be more mindful of them today because 1. my ipod battery died and 2. the pain has only intensified.
I was talking to my fiance's cousin about my starting to run again and she mentioned how she would love to start running too. We talked about how it can be hard to start- especially when you don't know what kind of pace to start out at- how much is too much- what will discourage you. I've had a desire to be a runner for a very long time. I was sad in the first grade when in my heat of the 50 yard dash I came in 4th. The older boy that I sort of knew from school saw I was disappointed and told me that I should be very happy with fourth place as I looked down in dismay at my yellow ribbon. I still have that ribbon somewhere. My desire to run continued in elementary school- where my gym teacher at Poplar Bridge in Bloomington, MN always had us running relays and around this make shift track he would set up with orange cones. I joined my middle school cross country team in the 6th grade for intermurals- still wanting to be this great runner, and joining the track team over and over again through middle and high school but could never get this running thing down. In high school, I remember the day you have to suddenly run a mile and be timed. What kind of test is that? When they don't really teach you how to run or help you get conditioned to run? That's not very helpful to just say 'all right- today is the day we run a mile'. I realize they probably have to do this test for some requirement- but at least help us with it somehow. My very earliest memory of running is with my neighbor on Como Ave- he would his two daughters along with him and I would go sometimes too- we would run around the track by Como Ave and Highway 280 behind Health Partners. Always a terrible terrible runner- no stamina. Period.
In College, my sophomore- something clicked with me and running. I would go grab a treadmill in the fitness center and just go- tune into my favorite program on my personal television and escape. Since I was watching and listening to something else I didn't have time to think about what was hurting or burning or how out of breath I was getting. This sudden "clicking" of the running on a treadmill and not getting shin splints- I loved.
Now to get that back and back into those jeans I had bought two years earlier. I still have the jeans- they are my ultimate goal. When I get to put the jeans back on again- I'll probably be 130-something. I really like those jeans- and I really liked the way I felt when I could do all of that running.
