The other night, my very best friend and I decided to face the cold and run 6 miles in the Christmas Light Fun Run. I figured, no big deal. It's a fun run, so people will probably be walking some of it. Boy was I wrong. Painfully wrong. The entire group of at least 200 people was made up of what looked to me like professionals. Including my best friend. Out of my league doesn't even begin to describe the experience.
It started out fine. I have after all been jogging on my lunch breaks. Inside. In the warmth. For 30 minutes. With breaks. It was around 19 degrees outside, however, and within 10 minutes my lungs tightened up and my insides cramped and I swore I was in the process of dying. I wanted to run, but I couldn't. We ended up doing 3 miles before sneaking away from the pack and grabbing a warm dinner at Legend's Brewery. I wanted a beer, however I was wheezing like a 90 year old in desperate need of an oxygen tank. I didn't have a beer, and I certainly didn't have a cigarette.
The night left me feeling like a bit of a failure, even though I did pretty well considering my ability (or lack thereof for that matter). I think this has been the hardest part of post surgery. And the transplant was eight months ago so I'm not even sure I can use that excuse any longer. But, when you get out of the habit of running everyday................ it's hard to come back. Especially when you're starting from square 1, and you feel like you should be picking up where you left off.
I think I learned a very good lesson from this mess, however. I learned that people are good at something because they work hard at it, and if something means a lot to me.... I need to get off my ass and train! If I got nothing else out of this Christmas-not-so-fun-run, at least I found a really good trail to use.... and I have the week after Christmas off to use it. And I will. Because by this time next year, I want to be leading that pack and completing the 6 miles.................. and I don't want to wake up that next morning pretty positive that I pulled a muscle in my back. Because I'm pretty sure that's what I did this time!
Any of you ''professionals'' out there have a tip or two you want to share with an amature like myself?
I did the same in a spinning class, quarter way through (at least that is how long I like to think I lasted), I "went to the toilet" and never went back. It was intense.
ReplyDeleteUnlike you though it didn't inspire me to get fit and go back, but I think you have inspired me to give it another go. I would be so pleased to make it to the end of that hideous class.
Thank you xx