Starting to love exercise
I have been a lurker for a while and thought I should finally write something.
I have been finding in the past month or so how I am beginning to love exercise! I never thought I would say that. I am only close to 4 months out from surgery but I am now thinking what am I going to do to work out tomorrow.
I was almost bummed today that I only could squeeze in a little more than an hour workout - but I wanted to make sure as I just started the Couch 2 5K program and today was my 2nd day of it. I was almost late for one of my church (I work at a church as youth director) activities - but I just had to do it! I am glad I did.
I am so eager to see how things change for me as I continue this journey. As I begin to run and work harder I cannot seem to get my breath or find a good pace. But I figure as I keep doing it my body will, hopefully, begin finding it's rhythm. I am sure some of you had similar feelings - I just cannot wrap my mind around how I could possibly run constant for any amount of time. But I will!
Well - tomorrow I bike & lift - so have a happy Thursday everyone!!
Chris
i have asthma, so I never thought I could run - turns out that it takes me about mile, but I eventually find a rhythm and I don't think about breathing again - it just happens. As your fitness level improves, it will happen for you to!
I huffed and puffed through the couch to 5K - best thing I ever did! Keep up the good work!
First 5K race October 4, 2009 (34.59) PR 5/22/11 (27:26)
First 5 Mile: January 1, 2011 (50:30)
First 10K: July 4, 2010 (1:03.26) New PR 4/10/11 (1:01.14)
First 10 Mile: April 11, 2010 (1:46.15)
First 1/2 marathon: June 13, 2010 (2:22.21) PR: 5/1/11 (2:17.30)
First Marathon: October 16, 2011: 5:47:20
Goofy Challenge: January 7-8, 2012
If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you're right. - Mary Kay Ash
It is amazing but when you get involved in it you find that you love it even more. I started out walking 3 days post op and went 1.8 miles in 40 minutes. I was proud of that! Now, I run about 4 times a week for about 4 miles at a time. I did my first 5K last month at 35:30 and do my second one next week and expect to better that time by a couple of minutes (I'm getting faster!). I am training for a sprint triathlon in September when I turn 40. Never thought that I would ever say that. I look forward to being at the gym at 4 a.m. every day (except Sunday). When I can't go (and that is rare), it doesn't feel right. I'm thrown off for the whole day. I reach my one year anniversary at the end of this month and I weigh 140 pounds. I started at 275 and my goal was 160. I blew by that---all because of the exercise. The other thing I have found is that I am able to eat more because I am using up so many more calories. I still love food and love the fact that I can enjoy the food I like. It's all about balance!
The company I work for recently started a marketing campaign for the Ad Council and the Arthritis Foundation that is producing a PSA and a website to let the 46 million OA sufferers in the U.S. know that exercise/staying in shape are great treatments for this for of arthritis.
As someone who is trying to get in shape myself, this is pretty good to know as it's just another benefit associated with getting in shape/staying active.
If you want to learn more about the campaign and the PSA's associated with them, here is the site:
FightArthritisPain.org
