Last week I wanted to run outside after work. It was a gorgeous day and also the first day of autumn so I couldn't resist heading outside and enjoying a run before the weather gets too cold. I had run a little in the morning to warmup for a circuit workout I completed before work, but wanted to go for a nice run outside later on.
The first half mile My legs felt rusty and heavy which was to be expected after a day of sitting at my desk and a strength circuit in the morning. After another mile the feeling never went away. I had planned on running 4 miles but around mile 1.2 I just wanted to give up and walk home. I kept going, only to have to amend my planned route of northerly island due to a concert which didn't make me any happier.
Each time my foot hit the ground I felt like it was making a huge thud. I began to remember how springy and agile I felt just months prior which made me even more upset. My anger was amplified due to carrying around an extra 8lbs that I accumulated over the past 5 months because of stress and eating and drinking too much and not running enough to balance it out (along with clothes not fitting properly which is really what is causing my anger). And with each thud of my foot my weight gain and being out of shape were made painfully clear to me. If that wasn't bad enough- I wore my Nike shorts which aren't spandexy and snug and to add insult to injury, they started chaffing my legs with each step.
I finished the 5 mile run and was so ridiculously happy to be done. I even caught a glimpse of "ChicagoHenge" which didn't make up for the entirety of the sucky ass nature of this particular run, but it helped. Gaining weight, being out of shape, clothes not fitting, northerly island being closed, chaffing, & an early morning morning strength session which destroyed my legs made for one of the worst runs I've had in a while. It can only get better from here.
-Xaarlin
Great pic of "ChicagoHenge". Sorry to hear about your sucky run and stress. I suspect a lot of your leg issues were due to the strength session in the morning. Just getting out and hitting the pavement (even if it is with a thud) can (and will) only make things better from here! Anyway, at least it sounds like your summer was much more fun than mine in the eating and drinking department! I plan on eating no lean proteins after Oct 11 and only foods topped with gravy!
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely correct- it was likely due to the strength training in the morning- I was feeling that workout for days afterwards! It was just so many crappy things coming together at once. The eating & drinking is super fun until clothes don't fit as well as before :( haha your post Marathon plan sounds divine!
DeleteLove ChicagoHenge, what a great photo. sorry you had a bad run :( I hope you are able to get out and run more and get that spring back in your step! I hate the feeling of a run not going like you think it should.
ReplyDeleteThank you :) the runs can't be all great- but when they're bad they can get terrible. I'm slowly getting back into running more and even hit 30 miles last week so it's a start :)
DeleteI can empathize with you....My magical 6-8 lbs that I've gained in the last couple years are truly pissing me off. To the point I tried a crazy fasting diet, and was giddy I lost 1 whole lb. I've started back with running more, and am hoping it all evens out. Is it bad I'd rather give up food than my wine? Gah.
ReplyDeleteIt just is difficult to accept you're in a different fitness level than before :( I expect to hit a certain pace with ease and instead feel so labored to hit a once easy pace which makes me so frustrated. But I feel the same- I'd rather cut back on foods than my beer or wine ;)
Delete*hugs*
ReplyDeleteAt least you got that awesome pic! I haven't been running as much lately for a combo of reasons, one of which is frustration. I just want my knee to be pain free and go back to the mileage I used to do with no problems. I hate that now I have to do all this extra stretching and foam rolling and digging into hip muscles and strengthening my glutes and still maintain low mileage. And when I do go for a run, the whole time I'm like "how's my knee? how will it feel tomorrow? when can I run next? later this week? next week?" it's no longer the relaxing escape it once was.
ReplyDeleteTrue- the pic made it worth the trouble ;)
DeleteI can't definitely understand your frustration. Having to do all the stretching and foam rolling for runs even when your knee might act up is not fun- and it's especially not relaxing during a run wondering if your injury is going to come back again :(