Monday, April 4, 2011

runner's high

my first ever race, at the finish line
race for the cure 5k ~ october 2008

by no means do i consider myself a runner. yes i do run, usually for short intervals at a time, then i slow down and i walk. i do, do races, but mainly i run because i know that overall it is the best form of cardiovascular activity that helps tone the whole body. last summer during one of my outdoor runs i got to 3/4 quarter mile and started walking. at that point that had been the longest distance i had ever ran. lately i've been slowly increasing my time running on the treadmill and have come close to crossing that one mile line.

today was that day.

today i ran one mile!!! in exactly 12 minutes 29 seconds.

well technically i kept going. i didn't slow down until i hit 1.15 miles. then i walked for a couple of minutes, then i started running again.

ok, so i understand that to most this is not a big deal. that most people run a whole mile with ease and have always been able to do that. not me. so for me this is a huge accomplishment, and i am proud!
i can remember PE class in elementary school and being told to run a mile. i dreaded this. granted i hated PE and most physical activity in general, but the mile? i loathed it. we had to run around this track 4 times to complete the mile. i always ended up walking, and i always ended up last. just thinking about it i want to cry. i've come so far. and it feels good.

literally one mile at a time.


so much of this game is mental. i've been mentally preparing myself for this milestone for at least the past 2 weeks. every single time i would get on that freakin' treadmill i would prepare and think: "is today the day?" will i run a whole mile today without stopping? to be honest, i'm sure that my physical self has been ready and willing to run a whole mile for quite sometime. but mental self, not so much. until today.

today is a huge victory for me! and now i must keep on going. race season is coming up, and i have some races to prepare for. i need to keep on going.
treadmill 35min
elliptical 25min

5 comments:

Miss Erika said...

This is awesome! I'm in the same boat - could never run a mile, had to do it in 15 minutes in elementary school, was always last and walking. Today, I said to myself "I'm going to run a mile". I had to do it in parts, but I did it! I ran the first half mile without stopping, and that's the furthest I've ever run. I can't wait to hit that one mile down! Rock on!

Emily said...

Congratulations!!! I mean that. Running has never been my thing and I hate every minute of every run I've ever done. I hate it. But that feeling of actually running an entire mile is amazing. I'm so proud of you!

sarahlove said...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew 100% that you would do it.

One step at a time is all it takes!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I know you can do it. I can hardly wait for our Mother's Day Run. While you run around me walking!!!

My running days are long gone so I will mentally run with you while you run around me.

Can hardly wait. :)

Love ya bunches, MOM
Hope you have an awesome week.

Anonymous said...

I hate running. It seems with every step my body is telling me, "Why are you doing this, just stop and walk!" So I get it. This is awesome!