Stupid!
Today my feet love me (thus the heavenly glow about them)! In fact my legs in general love me...and my new shoes! Yesterday I went to Runner's Corner to get fitted for running shoes, what a novel idea, running in shoes made for running! Funny things happen when you have to right equipment for your sport...or miracles!
My feet, ankles & knees have all sighed a BIG sigh of relief! Ahhhhhhhhh...
Truthfully, today's run wasn't as awesome as I imagened it would be, in my excitment to try out these bad mama-jama's, I forgot about my Nike+ sensor which was still tucked away in my once coveted Nike's. Therefor, I don't have an accurate number to post as far as my pace is concerned. And, I did have some pain in my foot which lasted for the first half mile and happily faded away! AND, I had a twinge of pain threatening to turn into a full blown cramp in my side.
So why am I so pumped about my tiny run? Why does 25 minutes on a treadmill turn me into a song bird, endlessy chirping my excitement while annoying all in earshot?!
SHOES!!! For the first time in my life I am feeling a deep effection for my new found metatarsal apparel! (Unlike most Shela's, I'm not ga-ga over shoe's or shopping for them. Which stems from my childhood, another tragedy I blame on my mother!)
Here's a suggestion for all those novice or want-a-be runners (like me) who are as clueless as I was...find your nearest RUNNING store and have a professional fit you for a new pair!
Back to my run...
I have found over the years (before I found running shoes) that I needed to center myself before and during my runs in order to push through that desire to stop running. Mostly it was pain in my knees and ankles that inspired this feeling, sometimes it was muscle fatigue, often it was the lack of motivation to keep going!
Here's my trick.
First, I set up for my run by having a mental fuzzy fest, where I think all sorts of warm thoughts about running... Okay that's BS, but I thought it would be funny.
So really, I turn inward, but I leave the warm fuzzy thoughts for the pansie's! I think, "Kelly, you get those shoes on and run that fat bottom into extinction!" or anything else you may imagen a trainer or drill sargent would scream at me. Second, I see myself running. I get the visual, and I keep that image with me (only in my head I'm ripped and my bottom resembles Jillian Michael's) until I'm on that treadmill. Third, I stretch briefly, and do a easy 5 minute warm up, and may even stretch again if I'm feeling a little tight (even though they're covered in cottage cheese, these muscles are tight)! Last, but most importantly, I find a point in the distance that I focus on when I need and extra boost. I stare that spot down like it was the mirror image of myself in top form and I give everything I've got to get it!
Does that make since? Well...that is what works for me. Lot's of images of how I want to look & thought's of how far I want to be able to run! Couple that with great tunes with heart thumpin' beats and it gets me though those first runs that are so difficult when starting back or starting for the first time! This technique also worked really well for me during my last race.
I hope this is helpful for any novice that feels defeated before the first week of training is even over. We CAN do it! We ARE amazing! Sick with it and kick those feelings or defeat to the curb...strength comes from the inside first, heart, mind, muscle. Go TO IT!
Today's run: 30 minutes/2.07 mi/275 cals burned
5 min warm up
20 min Hill intervals (4.0-5.5)
5 min cool down
I feel pretty darn good about running for 20 minutes straight, and if you took out the 10 minutes of up and down time, I even had a pretty good pace. Looking forward to tomorrow's road run! (Or maybe I'll go find a trail...any suggestions?!)
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