February 4, 2010

I Can't Run

I swear to you I can't run. I used to run every morning . . . back in college, on into my 20's, lacing up my shoes before dawn was something I loved doing, looked forward to. The alarm would ring at 5:30am and I'd bound out of bed....seriously! Starting the day off with a runners high? Yeah, it just didn't get much better than that.

HOWEVER, that was both dozens of years and pounds ago, and I just don't feel like I can run again, not at least until half of this weight comes off. I mean, think about it, wouldn't it be hard on my knees, my feet (which have been giving me tons of problems lately)...wouldn't it raise my heart rate too high or just be a bad idea at this weight?  Good grief, right now I'm just shooting to be able to exercise without pain!

Well, yesterday as I was walking on the treadmill, something got into me and I decided, what the heck, I'm going to jog for a bit. I increased the speed to 3.5 miles per hour, and taaadaaaaaaa, I was running, actually running! I only did it for a couple of minutes, but I DID IT!

A small victory to most, I realize, but a breakthrough for me. And, I'll take breakthroughs wherever I can get them!

I was inspired by Sunshine on The Biggest Loser Tuesday night when Jillian told everyone to run for 5 minutes...Sunshine looked over at the girl next to her who saw the fear all over Sunshine's face and promptly said "We can do a lot more than we think, you'll learn that here at the ranch."  And, Sunshine ran for 5 minutes.

Turns out that we really do put limits on our abilities, but even I can learn to break through the false ceiling I have constructed . . . ranch or not.

Would love to hear what you all have done recently that you didn't think you could....diet/exercise related or otherwise. Let's inspire one another!

pushing through,
Cheryl

P.S.  Yesterday at my friend Heidi's, I tried on those new shoes that are advertised to get your butt in shape, and I MUST get me a pair. Sooooo comfortable and just walking across Heidi's family room I could tell they absolutely work! Think I can run in those shoes? {crossing fingers!}

11 comments:

  1. I too have been running at the gym now I only run a min after every 5 mins of walking but it's a start :)

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  2. Wtg! I've been trying -- well, not lately, but a few weeks ago and I'm going to start again -- to jog for a minute or two at a time and build up. I loved that comment on this week's BL, too. I think it's true that we're all capable of more than we give ourselves credit for.

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  3. if you mean sketcher shape ups i love mine i just posted bout them today

    what have i done that i would never imagined i could do

    well at 200 pounds i was doing all 3 levels of jillians 30 day shred all at once

    my motto is that we cant put restrictions on ourselves because we can do it
    just dont hurt yourself
    but try it if it hurts stop thats how i think

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  4. @Design Girl & Kris - yes, easing into this is very wise I think.

    @Bee - Heidi has the Avia brand - same idea tho. WOW, all 3 levels??!! THAT is amazing, nice work! And yeah, pushing beyond what we "THINK" we can or cannot do has to be tempered with the wisdom to stop if it hurts, I mean hurts like in damaging hurt. ♥

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  5. Great job! I am in the process of getting back to running after an injury. Slow and steady with intervals of walking and running is the way to go. Good luck, you runner you!

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  6. Well, you know how I feel about running :o)
    I have to add that the first time I got on a treadmill I set it for 6 mph thinking that was a reasonable rate for a fast walk. The oldest man at the gym came to help me up where I fell at the base of the wall. I heard this week on KLOVE that the treadmill is the one piece of equipment at the gym that sends the most people to the emergency room.

    As a person with historically bad knees, I have found that the elliptical is better for me. Right now I am nursing an injury, so I am not willing to risk making that worse. I do need to get into stretches and crunches and leg lifts, however.

    Hang in there everyone with your goals!

    Ellen

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  7. @Kat Sounds reasonable to do intervals as you suggest. Thanks for the tip...and encouragement!

    @Ellen Stretching is huge I think...I don't do enough of it either. I have an older exercise tape (yes, its that old) by Callan Pinckney called Callanetics ~ 10 Years Younger in 10 Hours. Its a deep muscle exercise tape, tough but really works.

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  8. Woo hoo! Congrats on the running. That's a great accomplishment to be proud of. Me and running have never went hand in hand even back in my skinny days. I'm an avid softball lover and even back in the skinny days I hated having to run around the bases! lol

    While this isn't a 'huge' accomplishment it's still something I'm totally celebrating! I was away from home for 7 days and had to eat out for every single meal for those 7 days and I came back and lost 1.4 pounds! That's a huge accomplishment for me! Never in all my life have I ever went away somewhere & came back to see a loss on the scale.

    We deserve to celebrate any accomplishment we reach during this weight loss journey! Whether it's big or small it's still an accomplishment and something we should be proud of ourselves about!

    Keep up the great work :-)

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  9. Hey girl! I can ditto you on the running thang...I was getting that weird urge during my walks with the dog to start jogging...and I ignored them in a 'what-are-you-thinking?' sort of way for several days. But then I gave in...and liked it! So far I jog for about a block/block and a half each morning...planning to add a bit every week...slow & steady wins the race, huh?

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  10. @Tish, that is a HUGE victory! Did you have a strategy when you left? Do tell!

    @Minnesota Mami, that is great! yeah, I'll be adding jogging in very slowly too, in intervals with my walking on the treadmill...it's just so cool to be able to do something that I really didn't think I could. :)

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  11. I am not a runner but I am going to try it again this spring (when it is nice outside and it is free!!)

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