Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The first 30 days.

The first month of running is just not fun! Not very encouraging I know but from past experience I have learned it takes me a month to get to the point where it doesn't hurt and feel like I'll fall over because the oxygen can't get to my life sustaining organs. Each week I can feel a little progress but if I miss more than a couple of days I'm in trouble again. Each day of each week that I run I can get in the groove a little faster and I can run with a smile on my face a little sooner instead of the red faced mouth open grimace that I have without fail during the first 10-15 min of each run. As I run now I dream of the past so I can relive it in the future. I dream of those two hour runs cruising along singing to Paul Simon, Queen and Shania Twain. Those good times help me get through these first 30 days and hopefully I'll get to those two hours runs again although I think I'm going to change up the music--Keith Urban is my cruising music now although so far my music has been listening to birds and dogs and airplanes and talking to Jack. He gets a little restless after 30 minutes so I try to entertain him by pointing out the interesting attractions we run by. I used to never seek out houses with barking dogs.
One thing that I haven't been doing very well is drinking more water. If you see me out running or even an hour after I'm done you'll know if I have drunk enough water. Red purple face, or normal. If I am drinking plenty of water throughout the day I'll sweat like every other normal person if not my face turns bright red, and the less water I drink, the red turns into purple. Quite a trick but not a good one. One more thing I need to remember and do---train my body to drink more water throughout the day. I thought it was interesting when we were training for the marathon eons ago that part of the training was that you actually needed to train your body to take in more water. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. We've heard that forever but when we are running we need more--especially when it starts to heat up.
So I'm looking forward to day 31 and a sweaty white face, less pain and more gain (strength, stamina and speed).
Run on!!

3 comments:

Laura said...

Nancy you are such an inspiration. Please keep writing it is so motivating.

Jaime said...

Hi Nanci,

I actually ran yesterday afternoon because I thought I couldn't let the day go by. Thanks to you! It was hot and my face was reddish/purplish but it was sort of fun. I better drink more water. I don't like to carry water when I go. How do you carry water?
Jaime

Nanci said...

Jaime-- If I run for an hour or less I usually don't take water with me. I just drink some before and then of course lot's after. When I start running longer than an hour I'll either carry a small water bottle in my hand (kind of a pain) and then throw it away in a garbage can along the way or plan a route before hand and stash a water bottle somewhere. That is a lot of fun especially in the canyon because you get a little break playing hide and seek trying to remember which bush you hid the water bottle in. Ahh the good times.
I didn't plan this week very well to hook up with you and Laura so let's make a plan for next week. Let me know a day and I'm there. My calendar is very open for next week so whatever day is best for you.