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I have a love/hate relationship with running, and probably always will.
I will always have a sort of love for it, because my journey to a healthier me all began with a goal of being able to run more than a mile..and then a 5K. I succeeded in that, and on a good day I can run up to 6 miles, but that small first goal is what prompted me to quit my unhealthy ways and focus more on eating for fuel than for a scale number. I became determined to finish the C25K program, and although I was gaining weight due to my metabolism reacting to me actually eating enough food and nutrients, it didn’t matter because I was working towards a goal and trying to get healthy. Yes, it would be a little frustrating at times, but overall, I was feeling much better. I had a goal to be able to run, which led to the goal to be the healthiest me.
But that doesn’t mean I absolutely love it all of the time. There are days when I still hate it. Somedays the thought of running does not appeal to me at all. Most of the time, when a WOD calls for running, I will inwardly groan.
There are certain circumstances that will contribute to a day when I love running:
When the weather is nice. I hate running on the treadmill, so when I do run I run outdoors. When the weather is really nice, maybe a bit breezy and cool, then I actually have the desire to go for a run. This doesn’t seem to happen very frequently in Texas though. I can run when it is hot or cold outside, but it’s not very enjoyable. Especially in Texas when the heat is accompanied by 500% humidity haha! And then I hate being cold, and it’s much more difficult for me to run in the cold than the heat. It hurts my lungs.
When I have music. It may seem weird, but I just can’t seem to run without music. It’s much harder for me to pace myself, and then I get tired quicker. Plus, I like to have a soundtrack when I run. It helps tremendously. I have a whole running playlist on spotify with songs that have a BPM for a 9:30-10:00 minute mile (I used jog.fm to help compile that list). When I can listen to music and run to a beat then I find I can run for much longer. If I forget to charge my headphones and don’t have a backup pair with me, then I seem to want to quit after 1 mile.
When I can run at a leisurely pace. When I can run a nice, 10-minute mile, then I enjoy it. It’s comfortable and easy, and it can be relaxing. It feels good. When I’m running for time or trying to run faster than a 9-minute mile, then I become tired faster and want to quit. On a nice, slow-paced run, I could go on for miles.
When I have my running shoes. I’m pretty flat-footed and have a pair of Asics running shoes that are cushioned and with an elevated heel. They make it easier for me to run further without hip and knee pain. There are two types of shoes I bring to Crossfit, my Nana 3.o’s and Nano Speeds. If there is running in a WOD then I will wear my Speeds since they are more cushioned, but they are not my running shoes and don’t feel as good to run in.
When I’m not sore. …this is pretty much a given.
All of these factors contributed to my run on Tuesday. The weather was perfect at the time (the only nice day we’ve had this week), my headphones were charged and I set my music to my 10-minute-mile songs.
It had been a while since I had gone for a nice, long, leisurely run, and I forgot how good it felt! I didn’t think I would log more than 3 miles, but under all these circumstances, I just wanted to keep going and I ended up logging 6 miles (I didn’t even know I could still do that).
It reminded me how much I missed it, and I decided to try to incorporate it into my weekly schedule. Maybe once a week going for a long, slow-paced run… if the weather’s nice, the rest of this week has been rainy and humid.
