This is week 3 of my new jog/walk program and it has had super lows and tremendous highs! This week I started the 1.5 mile route that I mapped using sparkpeople.com (love this website!). The route has me continuing straight instead of my usual left turn back to home. That little left turn, to me, has become the make it or break it point of my new route. Every day, it messes with my head saying "turn left now and you'll be safe at home!"
On Tuesday, I didn't get to run until about 7pm and it was super dark. I thought "it's too dark down that road, just turn left and go home, you don't know what you're getting yourself into!" As rational as this sounded, I continued going straight into the unknown. And? I made it through, in the dark, I didn't get lost, I saw some really cute houses that I had no idea existed in my neighborhood, and I completed 1.5 miles in 24 minutes!
On Wednesday, I was ready, I was pumped... I was weak and I ate a handful of potato chips before venturing out! My feet and legs felt like lead, I couldn't get into a groove with my breathing, and my posture was all off. I came to the left turn where I could turn and go home, or keep going... "you just ran yesterday, you could go home and still have gotten a decent workout," I thought to myself. Somehow, I forced myself to run across the road and continue on my path. It was rough, but I pushed through and made it home in 23 minutes!
On Thursday, I wasn't feeling it at all, I had just jogged two days in a row. My husband was running late (he keeps the kids entertained) and the sky was looking very ominous... tornados were springing up in the more rural parts. Somehow, I made myself get dressed, I find that if I put on my jogging clothes, then I have to go - it works for me! I started out with a brisk walk. "I'm definitely taking it easy tonight, I deserve it!" I think as I begin my journey. After a couple of minutes, I got bored so I started jogging. I tried to focus on my breathing and looking forward, not down. Pretty soon I was at the turn, "I feel great, I can't stop now!" I thought to myself and blew past the stop sign. I barely even heard the left turn calling to me! I jogged almost the entire last leg of my route!
It's getting easier and I am getting faster! I walked for about 5 minutes for a cool down and came home and stretched. Pouring with sweat, I felt so great! I bragged to my husband about my triumph as he sat with both of our kids on his lap and I sat on the floor stretching out my tired muscles "Aren't you proud of me?" I exclaimed. He thought for a second "Yeah, I am, running is hard!" I was beaming! My husband was proud of me and I was proud of myself!
I was on a jogging high all night! Mentally, I felt as though I had just won an award. Physically, my body hurt like I had just completed a marathon, but it was a good hurt, it was a hurt you could only get from pushing yourself to the limit, it was a hurt that 3 advil and 8 glasses of water seemed to cure!
So, that was it, my Best Jog Ever!
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