It’s kinda hard to write a running blog when you’re not running. Furthermore, it’s very hard to feel any sort of accomplishment, physically, when you’re not running.
Running, and particularly training for a race, never ceases to give me some sort of goal to work towards. On every run, I set some sort of goal in mind – even if the goal is “this is going to be a slow easy run” (a goal that, once I get going, becomes failure because I end up running faster anyways). Some runs I aim to go purposely run faster (tempo) and others, I just want to get them the hell over with (12 miles of hills?) When I have a big race coming up, particularly a half marathon, I can map out my long runs and knock them off one by one. Everybody say “ahhh”
The results from all this goal making runs the gamut of “I did OK for what it’s worth” to “wow, I haven’t fit in this dress since my last half marathon!” There are also innumerable moments of “I can’t believe I did this – but I did it!” and those are the best moments that seem to last forever.
I wish I could say the Cybex (aka elliptical) gave me the same Eye of the Tiger-esque feelings, but it does not. Yes, it’s great I’m still exercising and keeping up my fitness, but once I get done, I don’t have the runners high or feelings that I did something monumental. I didn’t really “go” anywhere and I’m not doing anything I haven’t done in the past other than maybe go longer on the machine. Besides, hoping off the machine and wobbling towards the towels and sanitary spray is a lot less gratifying than crossing a finish line with cheering fans.
This is why running has always stuck with me – there was always a goal to work towards and always something to make it just a little harder when things got too easy. I’ve written before about little victories – when they are earned, the feeling is so sweet.
The only thing somewhat comparable is biking. I did 19 miles last weekend, very slowly but they were done in about 90 minutes, maybe a few more (I forget). It was an accomplishment to finish and say I biked 19 miles, plus I felt like I had gone somewhere. Still didn’t have nearly the same bite. Perhaps I haven’t biked enough. All I know is, my Garmin told me in that amount of time that I not only biked 19 miles in that amount of time, but I burned 700 or so calories.
700 calories? In nearly two hours? You know how many I burn running in two hours? Yeah, a helluva lot more. So much for working off those extra couple of beers (an the extra cookie, an extra this, that).
I bring you to my next point: body shape – and image. I haven’t been the best at loving what I look like but running has helped tremendously with my body image. Sure, it gives me a nice body to be content with most of the time, but when I’m running, I’m not just thinking of calories burned. I’m thinking of miles completed. I’m thinking of hills conquered, of time expended, of strides mentally overcome, of friends I make on my runs. Being stuck in a gym does nothing for this as I feel like just another Barbie doll on a machine (no, not all women who work out in gyms are not all Barbie dolls but let’s face it – some are. Just as some men think they can grunt a couple of reps out and think they are Hulk Hogan.) I focus on time spent and calories burned, not “miles” or “hills” because it’s all so fake to me. And biking? Great for my legs but, frankly, I’m sitting the entire time! And it takes me twice as long to get a good workout!
I’m not going to even mention swimming as I replicate a labrador’s swimming in a lake – only I’m in an indoor pool, snarfing down water that burns my throat, turning me into a complete jackass.
Anyway, my point here is not to keep sulking about not running but rather explain my need for it. And others need it too. The feelings aren’t understood until you’re there – or on the sidelines.
UPDATE: My first PT appointment included some ultrasound treatment. This left my ankle and surrounding areas in severe pain for 3 days. (gulp) Yet, the last few days, my foot pain has ceased, leaving me with only ankle troubles. A PT visit yesterday almost all but confirmed peroneal tendonitis, ruling out a stress fracture (not completely, but enough that they really don’t think I have one due to the large area the pain is covering) So my next prescription for treatment is more rest, lots of stretching, lots of balancing and strength exercises and lots of foam rolling that, while it hurts, brings blood to the area to promote healing – much like the ultra sound did and well, look: it seemed to make the foot hurt less. Maybe I am getting somewhere? It’s still going to take a long while before I am out on the road. I am predicting September at the earliest :\
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