There is nothing like a good run to chase the blues away.
I didn’t always feel this way.
Last year at about this time I was struggling through 2 mile runs on the treadmill. I had never liked running, favoring the Stairmaster where I could read a book while I dripped like a pig in June. But, as with so many things in my life, I grew bored of the Stairmaster and decided to try this whole running thing.
I fell in love.
There seemed to be no easier way in the world to keep the flab at bay and the endorphin rush was just what I needed to power through a strength routine. But…I didn’t really intend to do more than incorporate running into my regularly scheduled cardio routine.
That was until I got a flyer in the mail encouraging me to train for the Los Angeles Marathon with the Leukemia Society. While I didn’t relish the idea of hitting my friends and relatives up for donations the whole idea of running a marathon began to take shape in my mind. Could I? The girl who would blithely say “Yeah…I only run when chased…and even then I try to get out of it” run 26.2 miles?
A quick trip to Google and I found what I was looking for in the form of a running group that meets on Saturday mornings in Santa Monica to train for the Los Angeles marathon.
For 6 months I went to bed early on Fridays and woke early on Saturdays to run anywhere from 7-23 miles. And yes…I did in fact complete that marathon.
It changed my life. I found that I was more focused, slept better, and felt less stressed. I was, in general, a happier person all around. I even continued meeting with the group for “fun runs” after the official training season was over.
But life gets busy, and giving up every Friday night out with the girls gets old…so I let myself slip a little. A head-cold, sore knee, family vacation(s) and two months not running at all and the focus left, the insomnia crept back, and the stress mounted.
Going back to training this morning was a little like going back to school. There where hugs and shouts of “How have you been? Do anything fun this summer? Check out my cool new running shoes!”
Five miles later and the blahs that have been plaguing me all week are gone. I know its only temporary and that to really keep the happy pill effect I will have to give up those Friday nights and heed my alarm clock on Saturdays.
But that’s OK…the pubs open late Saturday night!
I didn’t always feel this way.
Last year at about this time I was struggling through 2 mile runs on the treadmill. I had never liked running, favoring the Stairmaster where I could read a book while I dripped like a pig in June. But, as with so many things in my life, I grew bored of the Stairmaster and decided to try this whole running thing.
I fell in love.
There seemed to be no easier way in the world to keep the flab at bay and the endorphin rush was just what I needed to power through a strength routine. But…I didn’t really intend to do more than incorporate running into my regularly scheduled cardio routine.
That was until I got a flyer in the mail encouraging me to train for the Los Angeles Marathon with the Leukemia Society. While I didn’t relish the idea of hitting my friends and relatives up for donations the whole idea of running a marathon began to take shape in my mind. Could I? The girl who would blithely say “Yeah…I only run when chased…and even then I try to get out of it” run 26.2 miles?
A quick trip to Google and I found what I was looking for in the form of a running group that meets on Saturday mornings in Santa Monica to train for the Los Angeles marathon.
For 6 months I went to bed early on Fridays and woke early on Saturdays to run anywhere from 7-23 miles. And yes…I did in fact complete that marathon.
It changed my life. I found that I was more focused, slept better, and felt less stressed. I was, in general, a happier person all around. I even continued meeting with the group for “fun runs” after the official training season was over.
But life gets busy, and giving up every Friday night out with the girls gets old…so I let myself slip a little. A head-cold, sore knee, family vacation(s) and two months not running at all and the focus left, the insomnia crept back, and the stress mounted.
Going back to training this morning was a little like going back to school. There where hugs and shouts of “How have you been? Do anything fun this summer? Check out my cool new running shoes!”
Five miles later and the blahs that have been plaguing me all week are gone. I know its only temporary and that to really keep the happy pill effect I will have to give up those Friday nights and heed my alarm clock on Saturdays.
But that’s OK…the pubs open late Saturday night!
0 comments:
Post a Comment