Good morning to all my running friends wherever you may be. I hope your latest runs have been great.
As this blog is about all of us sharing our pains and our gains of being a rookie runner, I would like to share some of my pains during my rookie years of running. As I told you earlier in the blog, I started running at the age of 40 and still run at the age of 51. My first months of running were very difficult as I was a 'lone' or 'solo' runner. I started out on this fantastic journey of self discipline and absolute solitude with two things in mind - to lose weight and to get fit!!!
Well, as I live in a coastal city in South Africa, the runs were fairly easy as there were minimal uphills, and to be able to run with the smell of the sea air is wonderfull, however, the leg pains, the burning chest and the fear that, just maybe I am not up to this, was so overpowering some days that I really thought I would not be able to do this. Please bear in mind that I was never an athlete thus my fears!!
However, the mind is stronger than the body, and my NEED and DESIRE to become fit and run a half marathon, was so great that I persevered and the feeling, when finishing my first 10K, was so exhilirating that the continuation of this magical sport became easier. Now, not ever will I make you believe that this is an easy sport but magical it is. Please remember that you and you alone, pick up your legs and put the one foot in front of the other, all by yourself. You are not dependant on anyone to make you run - This is how great this sport is, to be able to run 5k, 10k, 21k or even an ultra marathon all by yourself is beyond any words I can describe.
The pains we go through to be a rookie runner and to achieve the gains of being a great or even mediocre runner, as myself, is worth all the effort we put into this amazing, friendly and exhilirating sport.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Rookie Runners - share pains and gains
Hello to all my running frinds, something very motivational that I thought you would all enjoy!
The Year I Went For A Run
June 29, 2008 in Uncategorized Tags: running
You won’t notice me as I line up with the back of the pack at the local 5k this weekend. You might notice my son, tucked into his running stroller in his bright orange “I Know You Can Do it” shirt. You might even offer him a high five, which he will gladly return. But you won’t notice me. I am neither the fastest or the slowest. I am not running in a costumer, or the finest and newest in running apparel. I am not the heaviest or the thinnest. I will never be on your leader board. You won’t hear my name at the awards ceremony. You will not notice me this weekend.
I was never a runner. A singer, a cheerleader, an actress, a math nerd, yes. But a runner? No. That was my sister. She played basketball, and she did it well. And in the off-season, she ran cross country and track to stay in shape. In the off season. Three miles a day, three or four days a week. Three miles? My God, I couldn’t imagine. Too much like work, as far as I was concerned.
I married young, when I was twenty three. My husband and I were desperately in love, happy and carefree. Three days after we returned from our honeymoon, I went to the doctor for a routine visit. I was a newlywed, relaxed and tan, and when the doctor began rattling off alphabet soup to her nurse, I didn’t think twice about it. CBC, T4, they meant nothing to me. I was the very definition of ten feet tall and bullet proof.
Six months later, after countless blood tests, uptake scans, ultrasounds, and biopsies, I underwent a partial thyroidectomy for a lump on my thyroid that almost certainly wasn’t cancer.
Only it was.
It was two different types of thyroid cancer, both aggressively attacking my lymph nodes, but fortunately very treatable. Two surgeries and a round of radiation later, I was on my way with a prescription for Synthroid and a clean bill of health. I told everyone I was fine. I thought I was fine. I was far from it.
Cancer changes you. My body had attacked me, so I attacked it back. I ate whatever I pleased, whenever I pleased. I was self destructive. I reveled in feeling poorly, paying my body back for what it had done to my spirit. Depression settled in, and the weight piled on. At the time, I didn’t realize how bad it was but looking back, I’m shocked I was able to keep from my family how very, very sad I was. After three long years and a very difficult pregnancy, I realized something had to change. I was sick and tired of the way I looked, sick and tired of the way I felt. Sick and tired of being sick and tired.
I easily talked myself out of doing anything rash, like joining a gym or changing my eating habits. But I did begin to walk. I strapped my son into his bulky stroller and walked around my neighborhood every day. I did it while my husband was at work; I didn’t want witnesses to my huffing and puffing. When I began having trouble getting out of bed because of my sore legs though, I had to let my husband in on my secret. He was immediately supportive, loading my closet with new running clothes and nudging me towards the door when I began talking myself out of my walks. A few weeks later, a shiny new running stroller arrived at our door. I laughed because running? Me? I don’t think so.
Slowly though, I did begin to run. At first it was just one lap, not even three quarters of a mile, around our neighborhood. Then two laps, then three. I can’t even remember who first suggested that I run a 5k, whether it was me (certainly not) or my husband or my sister, who began to run with me and take it in turns to push the stroller, but on June 23, 2007, I lined up to run my first 5k. I was nervous and uncertain and downright terrified. My sister stood beside me, prattling on so I wouldn’t have to talk.
We finished the race in 47 minutes. It hurt, and I was miserable, but as soon as I finished, I knew I’d run another.
And I did. I ran half a dozen 5ks, then decided to move up to a 10k. It was the best run of my life, and before I knew it, I had registered for a half marathon. On February 10, 2008, exactly three years after being declared cancer free, I finished the Mercedes-Benz half marathon in just over three hours. I finished with tears streaming down my face.
I started running to change my body. I kept running because it changed my soul.
My friend Angela is always telling me to take baby steps. I tend to rush into things without looking, expecting perfection of myself, setting myself up for failure. I finally took her advice and changed my life.
And somehow, when I wasn’t even looking, I became a runner.
The Year I Went For A Run
June 29, 2008 in Uncategorized Tags: running
You won’t notice me as I line up with the back of the pack at the local 5k this weekend. You might notice my son, tucked into his running stroller in his bright orange “I Know You Can Do it” shirt. You might even offer him a high five, which he will gladly return. But you won’t notice me. I am neither the fastest or the slowest. I am not running in a costumer, or the finest and newest in running apparel. I am not the heaviest or the thinnest. I will never be on your leader board. You won’t hear my name at the awards ceremony. You will not notice me this weekend.
I was never a runner. A singer, a cheerleader, an actress, a math nerd, yes. But a runner? No. That was my sister. She played basketball, and she did it well. And in the off-season, she ran cross country and track to stay in shape. In the off season. Three miles a day, three or four days a week. Three miles? My God, I couldn’t imagine. Too much like work, as far as I was concerned.
I married young, when I was twenty three. My husband and I were desperately in love, happy and carefree. Three days after we returned from our honeymoon, I went to the doctor for a routine visit. I was a newlywed, relaxed and tan, and when the doctor began rattling off alphabet soup to her nurse, I didn’t think twice about it. CBC, T4, they meant nothing to me. I was the very definition of ten feet tall and bullet proof.
Six months later, after countless blood tests, uptake scans, ultrasounds, and biopsies, I underwent a partial thyroidectomy for a lump on my thyroid that almost certainly wasn’t cancer.
Only it was.
It was two different types of thyroid cancer, both aggressively attacking my lymph nodes, but fortunately very treatable. Two surgeries and a round of radiation later, I was on my way with a prescription for Synthroid and a clean bill of health. I told everyone I was fine. I thought I was fine. I was far from it.
Cancer changes you. My body had attacked me, so I attacked it back. I ate whatever I pleased, whenever I pleased. I was self destructive. I reveled in feeling poorly, paying my body back for what it had done to my spirit. Depression settled in, and the weight piled on. At the time, I didn’t realize how bad it was but looking back, I’m shocked I was able to keep from my family how very, very sad I was. After three long years and a very difficult pregnancy, I realized something had to change. I was sick and tired of the way I looked, sick and tired of the way I felt. Sick and tired of being sick and tired.
I easily talked myself out of doing anything rash, like joining a gym or changing my eating habits. But I did begin to walk. I strapped my son into his bulky stroller and walked around my neighborhood every day. I did it while my husband was at work; I didn’t want witnesses to my huffing and puffing. When I began having trouble getting out of bed because of my sore legs though, I had to let my husband in on my secret. He was immediately supportive, loading my closet with new running clothes and nudging me towards the door when I began talking myself out of my walks. A few weeks later, a shiny new running stroller arrived at our door. I laughed because running? Me? I don’t think so.
Slowly though, I did begin to run. At first it was just one lap, not even three quarters of a mile, around our neighborhood. Then two laps, then three. I can’t even remember who first suggested that I run a 5k, whether it was me (certainly not) or my husband or my sister, who began to run with me and take it in turns to push the stroller, but on June 23, 2007, I lined up to run my first 5k. I was nervous and uncertain and downright terrified. My sister stood beside me, prattling on so I wouldn’t have to talk.
We finished the race in 47 minutes. It hurt, and I was miserable, but as soon as I finished, I knew I’d run another.
And I did. I ran half a dozen 5ks, then decided to move up to a 10k. It was the best run of my life, and before I knew it, I had registered for a half marathon. On February 10, 2008, exactly three years after being declared cancer free, I finished the Mercedes-Benz half marathon in just over three hours. I finished with tears streaming down my face.
I started running to change my body. I kept running because it changed my soul.
My friend Angela is always telling me to take baby steps. I tend to rush into things without looking, expecting perfection of myself, setting myself up for failure. I finally took her advice and changed my life.
And somehow, when I wasn’t even looking, I became a runner.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Rookie Runners - share pains and gains
Well I've been laid off my running for a while due to an ankle injury. Today I start my training again and once again will feel like a 'rookie'. Running became a part of my life 6 months before I turned 40!!! Yes, only because I needed to lose those extra kilos that creep up on us at this age!
As a schoolgirl, I was hopeless at any sort of athletic sport. No amount of trying, coaxing or even praying, could get me to run, high jump or any other of these track events. I was, however, good at swimming and did relatively well at this sport. I was clumsy and tried to play netball, to no avail and decided to leave sporting to the sporting people.
At the age of 40 or just before, I thought it to be a good idea to give walking a try to burn these extra kilos. Thus I started walking in January of 1997 and being an Aries just found that walking was too time consuming and thats' where I became a 'rookie runner'. After 3 months of slogging and 'survival shuffling', I was ready to run my first 10k race. Believe it if I tell you I came in dead last but once I held that medal in my hands, I was looking for the next race.
Being a Rookie Runner has been and still is, the best sporting challenge I have ever taken up. Please share your stories with me!
As a schoolgirl, I was hopeless at any sort of athletic sport. No amount of trying, coaxing or even praying, could get me to run, high jump or any other of these track events. I was, however, good at swimming and did relatively well at this sport. I was clumsy and tried to play netball, to no avail and decided to leave sporting to the sporting people.
At the age of 40 or just before, I thought it to be a good idea to give walking a try to burn these extra kilos. Thus I started walking in January of 1997 and being an Aries just found that walking was too time consuming and thats' where I became a 'rookie runner'. After 3 months of slogging and 'survival shuffling', I was ready to run my first 10k race. Believe it if I tell you I came in dead last but once I held that medal in my hands, I was looking for the next race.
Being a Rookie Runner has been and still is, the best sporting challenge I have ever taken up. Please share your stories with me!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Rookie Runners - share pains and gains
All top runners in the world today started out as we are, as Rookie Runners. They all went through the first stages of pains and ended up where they are now - with the gains!!! We all want to know the hows? of running, the wheres? and the whats? We buy the books and magazines that will teach us how but somehow we are never told about the starting pains of being a Rookie Runner!! With this blog I hope that we can all share our pains and gains' with each other so that we can learn to run better and easier.
Let us start with the simple task of getting dressed for this event. For me this was and still is, the most difficult part of running. Why? because once I am dressed I have made a commitment to myself to go for the run!!! This is the commitment that has seen me thru all my runs and will see me through many more. Once on the road the process of running is easy - one step in front of the other!! Being a Rookie Runner is the most exciting sport that I have ever done and believe me the only sport I will keep on doing. Please join me in sharing your pains and gains of this fantastic sport!!!
Let us start with the simple task of getting dressed for this event. For me this was and still is, the most difficult part of running. Why? because once I am dressed I have made a commitment to myself to go for the run!!! This is the commitment that has seen me thru all my runs and will see me through many more. Once on the road the process of running is easy - one step in front of the other!! Being a Rookie Runner is the most exciting sport that I have ever done and believe me the only sport I will keep on doing. Please join me in sharing your pains and gains of this fantastic sport!!!
Rookie Runner - share pains and gains
A Blog to socially chat about our paining and gaining of rookie running!
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