Running

Okay, I started running last June, stalled out several times and then got kinda serious about it last fall after my doctor's appointment and the dreaded scale that showed me to be heavier than ever before- "ENOUGH!!" I said.

Then in January, a gym opened up in town that took away all of my excuses for not running. It's not too dark, too cold, too windy, or raining in the gym. And they have treadmills that keep me on track. And I have a friend that goes and I think that I'm more worried about disappointing her (and wasting money) that I get a horrible guilty feeling if I don't show up and work out.

I figured out earlier that you have got to have a goal when you start something like this, be it time, pace, distance, weight, jeans size, whatever. So my goals were: 5K, 155-160 pounds, size 10. Right now, I'm at 6K, 1-- pounds (sorry, I'm a chicken), and still a size 1-, but my clothes all fit so much better than before. Also, my legs are much more lean and toned than they were. My other goal was to run a 5K before I turned 30. I worked that day and couldn't actually make it to a race, but I'd run 5K 4 times in the two weeks preceding the race I'd signed up for. Go me!

So let me brag on myself a little bit: my race was AWESOME. I ran the 5K at the Cowtown Marathon in downtown Fort Worth. The weather was great, the race was huge (over 5,000 in my race alone), I ran my best time to date (35:27), place 148 out of 378 in my age/gender class, ran the entire race without stopping, getting tired or winded and just felt awesome at the finish line. My friend Leigh also ran (8 weeks after having her first child!!) and she did really well also. My hips have been killing me ever since, probably because 1) I don't run on pavement, and 2) most of the race was downhill. The combo of these was rally jarring on my hips and I've been taking it easy this week and taking anti-inflammatories to get back to normal. Not a big deal compared to the pride I feel for accomplishing my goal. :)

I knew that I would get in better shape if I did this, but there were some other benefits that I was pleasantly surprised to gain as well. First, I feel pretty great- stronger and healthier. Second, I sleep so much better those nights after I run, like, fall sound asleep when my head hits the pillow and then sleep all night, sleep. I've always been a light sleeper, so this is a huge bonus. Third, I'm really digging the endorphin high I get after I run. I come home just happy and full of energy instead of dog tired and sluggish. And finally, maybe most importantly, it's been pretty great for our marriage. The 1 1/2 hours that it takes me after work to go to the gym and run and get home means 1 1/2 hours less that I'm at home alone and getting upset that Scott's not home. Those 2-3 hours after work when I'm waiting waiting waiting for him to get home have been the hardest thing on me. I start off productive: clean house, do some laundry, get dinner started. But then I get frustrated that he's not home to help me and we can't have a nice sit-down meal and maybe go for a walk or to the store together like other newly-wed couples and I get angry and jealous and start to hate the dairy for stealing my husband from me. So then by the time he gets home I'm in a mood and set to blow up at the least little thing. Also, by the time he gets home he's exhausted and the last thing he needs is his wife to blow a gasket.

So, due to the aforementioned endorphin high and less time spent by myself getting mad, when he comes home I'm much more tolerant, forgiving, loving, and still have some understanding left over. I'm sure this makes his life a little easier, seeing as how coming home is pretty much his one bright spot every day. So even thought I've reached my 5K goal, I think I'll keep running to reach my weight loss goal, but also to help my marriage limp along through the rest of this dairy mess. More on that later. :)