Thursday, January 24, 2013

i want to be a runner

I want to be a runner. I do. I want the endorphins,  the runner's high, the love of getting out there, the competition and fun of races, the community of people, and really, the health benefits and stress reduction would probably not be a bad thing either.

but, I hate it. I do. I hate the running part of it. I am not built for running. I have short legs and no stamina. I can't breathe correctly, is it in the mouth, out the nose, in the nose, out the mouth? I always get confused. Not to mention I don't know how to get on a correct path. My legs and arms won't work together and I always feel like I'm going to trip.

I suppose I could always do the Couch to 5K program, but even jogging for 1 minute seems daunting. I know that when I tried to do it last year, I ended up not sticking with it. But, that was after a failed attempt at jogging for 1 minute. ugh.

I don't know what it is about me but I always have an excuse, see above. I should probably just make myself do it for a while until either i end up loving it and wanting to do it or until at least it becomes routine enough to  not totally suck. that happens right? Plus I think an hour to myself listening to music (and actually showering lol) every other day would be beneficial for my anxiety/frustration/stress. Not to mention my mood and JT's and monster's (even though she doesn't know it). happy mama, happy baby. happy wife, happy life. right, right? tell me that's right, please.

Anybody have any idea how to motivate yourself just to start and keep with a running plan? Help!

Gonna link up to thedomesticwannabe's move it monday for the first time!!

5 comments:

  1. I felt the same way. A friend of mine took up running and she's having a blast doing amazing marathons all over the country and she looks amazing. I have always wanted to be a runner but I hated it. The beginning of this month I started the c25k program and I am finishing week 3 tomorrow. It's going really well and it's starting to kick my butt, but that's just what I need! I think you should try it. You might be surprised. I don't hate it like I thought I would.

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  2. try jogging slower. heck, it can be the same pace as you walk, just use the motion of jogging. you can work up speed as you work up your stamina.

    as for breathing, breathe in a way that's comfortable for you. some people swear by in through the nose, out the mouth, or in and out just the nose or just the mouth. you breathe the way you need to to get the best breath.

    find a path that's comfortable even if you have to drive to it. this was my biggest hang up. i kept thinking i should be able to walk out my door and start running. not always the case! especially when you live in the ghetto...

    do couch to 5k. if a minute is too daunting, do 30 seconds. there's no harm in starting slow. you can't go from not running to being a running expert in a week. that doesn't exist. i'll be starting couch to 5k all over again as soon as my doc says i can.

    sign up for a 5k during the summer sometime with your goal to be able to jog the whole thing (who cares how fast the jog is, the fact that you're jogging is what matters) for motivation. we can sign up for one together in the fall! maybe in rochester!

    well, this turned into a book. sorry. :/

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    Replies
    1. Have you ever considered going into a profession where advice is given? You seem to be very good at it, no matter the subject (at least what i've needed your advice for)... consider it maybe next year at LAX?? you're so helpful, now only if you'd do the work for me too :)

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  3. agree with liz. geez, i've been running for a year, and i still haven't broken a 12-minute mile! i can run forever, just not very fast. i'm also a mouth breather, so don't let that slow you down. you just have to run fast enough to make breathing slightly uncomfortable, not unbearable :)

    what motivated me was myself. anyone who knows me knows i am a competitive person, and my own worst competitor is myself. i was a freak about getting A's in high school. i think it's a matter of telling yourself, yes, this IS something i can do and it IS possible. the only thing holding me back is ME.

    buying gear helps as well. if you know you have $120 shoes by the door and a $60 sports bra in the drawer (believe me, it helps), it's hard to turn away from that kind of investment.

    also, don't be afraid to go out running in 40º weather. if you dress right, it's a lot more comfortable than 80º weather by far. under 30 and over 85, find a track! [unless you like punishing yourself by extreme temps - i dunno, that may be your thing :)]

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  4. Up until I finished my first 5k, I still didn't think I liked running. The C25K was HARD. Every time. But I just kept pushing, and once I crossed the line at that first 5k, I was more or less hooked. Seems like you've gotten some great advice already, but I just wanted to throw that out there. I honestly thought I'd give up on running as soon as I finished the C25K, but nearly two years and 3 half marathons later, I really do love it.

    That isn't to say that maybe you truly won't. Some people can run no problem, and still don't really like it. But I say give it a try. Tell yourself you're going to make it through the first four weeks of the C25K and see how you feel. Running will still be tough, but if you're surviving and not wanting to kill yourself, push forward. You can do it!

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