I bought the lie. I drank the Kool Aid.
Full of exuberance, devoid of a reality check, I laced up for my first run; nothing too aggressive, just a 30 minute jog. With sneakers laced up, ipod playlist ready to go and optimism oozing out of my pores, I took off. I made it half way down the block before a very powerful thought pounded through every corner of my head, “THIS IS A BAD IDEA, TURN AROUND RIGHT NOW!”
Here is what went wrong: (i) everything hurt, right away; (ii) my breathing was out of control (thank you, asthma!); and (iii) I realized that I had no desire to subject myself to the pain and discomfort and that I was experiencing for another 29 minutes and 30 seconds. I kept running.
To keep this post on the shorter side, here are some highlights from my 2.75 mile, 30 minute run:
1) I figured out that my strategy for running needs to be to run as far away from my house as I can until I am sure that I am ready to pass out, and that is when I turn around. I start to feel like I can’t run anymore at around .2 miles from my house, which is why I wait until I am sure that I am going to pass out, which takes longer.
2) I discovered that I am unable to do two things at the same time when jogging, namely run and breath, run and think, or run (even slowly) and drink at the same time. I have been told that drinking while running is something that everyone needs to work on at the beginning, so I don’t feel so bad. My inability to accurately switch songs on an ipod is by far the most troubling fact. I feel rather inadequate about this.
3) I am in horrible shape, despite playing soccer (indoor and outdoor), basketball, softball and taking a boxing class (not all the time, but usually 2 – 3 activities a week). Apparently, I watch a lot more of the game than I play in it.
