It started when I was traveling in October. The easiest – and sometimes only – way to workout on the road is the hotel gym, which is typically just a few treadmills and maybe a stationary bike. I haven’t run consistently in a long time, but you gotta work with what you have, so I made it a point to workout at at least 50% of the hotels I was in, knocking out a 5k before whatever worky stuff I had going on that day.
And then New Years day I went for a five mile run. (I know, wooo, a whole five miles. Past me – the me that would run ten miles before work on Wednesdays because it was Wednesday and that’s just what you DO on Wednesdays- is weeping.) But it’s time my body figured out how to run consistently again, and apparently for that to happen you actually have to, you know: run consistently.
So I ran on Jan 1. And then I ran on Tuesday. And then I ran again today. This is a change for me. These days, I hit up Crossfit in the AM and sometimes, if it’s light enough out and I have the time, I’ll take my dog for a run to get him exercise and be outside, but I don’t run-train. Crossfit keeps me in skinny jeans and workyouty friends and running the dog keeps him from driving us batshit crazy, and that’s been enough.
But I miss running. I’m happier when I’m running. Something happens around mile three where my mind and by body synch up and CLICK, BOOM, yes. I know who I am and what I want and what I want at those moments to run forever, to run all the time.
The trick, of course, is getting to mile three. Three miles is nothing when you’re a runner – a drop in the bucket, just the warm up – but when you’re not a runner or you’re a used-to-be-runner getting to three miles might as well be 30. So twice this week I skipped the Crossfit WOD so that I could get my ass on the treadmill and get myself past mile three. Slow and steady on the treadmill, easy pace, time on my feet, time in my head. Six miles Tuesday, four miles today. Nothing in the scheme of things. Past me wouldn’t have even laced up her shoes for “just” four miles a couple of years ago. But I remember how I became a runner: putting running shoes on, and going for a run. And then doing it again the next day. So. That’s what I’ve been doing this week. Putting my shoes on, and going for a run. Getting myself past mile three. It feels so good, you guys.
InnerTeub 
This post makes me happy. Good for you for doing what feels right, even if it’s changed over the last few years.
I felt exactly the same today on my short bike ride. Getting back in the game.
Technical question! I am running on a treadmill for the first time lately, and can’t run as far as I could outside. I gather that is normal. So, I know I need to distract myself some, I think that is the biggest issue, but what kind of.. course? do you do? I am trying to do rolling hills, because that’s what I always do on cardio equipment, but it’s too hard – the hills are too steep, and the downhills make me feel like I’m going to careen off the treadmill. Manual/flat feels like it’s barely worth doing somehow. I might try intervals? I don’t know. Just wondering what you do. Having to change the incline constantly means I’m always looking at the display and noticing it’s only actually been 4 minutes since I started, omg,
I follow you on Twitter and a few weeks (months? Keeping track of Twitter time is hard) back you were talking about running with some other people on Twitter and tips that you have for new runners. As someone who is trying to get into running but has never really been successful at doing so before, would you be willing to share your tips with readers/me?
After being overweight until I graduated from college and never really participating in sports, the last 5 years have involved me losing a lot of extra weight and really enjoying gym workouts. I’ve tried the C25K program before and have gotten up to about 20 minutes of continuous running but haven’t gotten to the sweet spot yet. So… tips for getting there?
I signed up for the RnR marathon in DC this March right after volunteering at MCM and feeling a little runner high even though I didn’t run that mary. Silly me! This week I changed from the full to the 1/2 marathon which is 10weeks away because that’s a ‘little’ more reasonable time for me to get ready. Lord knows I’ve done plenty of long distance races, but getting started again (ugh..again!) and getting started from a level 2 or 3 based on a scaled of 1-10 simply sucks. Suuuuucks. What I do like is doing CFE training. 8x200m? Sure! 4×400? I can do that. Just the thought of me doing a 5k this weekend has me mentally already running a 11min/mi pace even though it won’t be ‘that’ bad (I hope). I hate getting started again. H.A.T.E. it. But starting slow helps, starting w/ shorter distances helps, and once I do that first 200m or 400m I’m all “shoot, it’s not that bad after all”. I hope I still feel this way in 6+ weeks.
Put the shoes on and go for a damn run….that’s all it takes.