Years ago, I worked out with my best friend. She dragged me to the gym, I got her to do the Breast Cancer 3-day. I guess I knew even back then that if I was to keep up going to the gym, I needed an event as a goal. We walked together - a LOT.
Of course, once the event was over it was hard to stay motivated. Eventually, we fell out of our routine. Then she got serious about fitness and weight loss again. I didn't. I moved in with my boyfriend, had a long commute, was tired all the time, blah blah blah.
So, fast forward a couple of years. It's summer 2009 and I've just moved in with my mom temporarily. I return to the gym, deciding that it's time to take this exercise thing a bit more seriously than walking the dog (plus, time at the gym means time NOT at mom's). I fit the gym into my dinner break, after work, etc. Sometime in August, my brother-in-law and I decide to run a 5k together. I started training with the couch to 5K. I move into my new apartment. I'm taking a class, I'm training, I'm working.... I am ALONE.
The only other person I know that is running is in DC. That friend and I decide to run a race together in the spring, but otherwise, I'm on my own. I'm not complaining.... I'm super focused and goal driven and asthmatic and neurotic. I didn't want anyone else to be watching me try to reach these goals. Self-conscious: my dirty little secret.
I joined up with some fellow bariathletes on obesityhelp, and I love that I found them! We exchange ideas, advice, inspiration, and hardships. We are all over the world, but we know each other's challenges like few others do.
The DC race was great - but I didn't run WITH my friend. We actually ran two different distances at the same event, and we both did awesome. Together, but separate. I went home and rehabbed my knee injury, alone.
My half-marathon was to be alone too. Though I did get a good taste of some socializing. I started the race with two other surgery friends. One knew she would not run the entire event, she had been sidelined with an injury and was going to run/walk. The three of us ran together the first mile or so. That left two of us. We had never run together, but thought we might run similar paces. We ran together for about 6 miles and chatted on and off, which was great. I finally got to find out if I could converse while running - and I CAN! It really made the time fly. We finally had to split up since our paces no longer matched, and other than a few quick chats with fellow runners as i passed them or they passed me, I ran alone with my music.
Where am I going with this? Yesterday I met up with some other lovely ladies from the MA obesity help board. We walked at the cape cod canal. I drove an hour to get there with my crazy dog because I hate to leave him home when I have custody. I only got to walk the first hour with them because the dog was pooped, but it was a lot of fun. It wasn't about racing, it wasn't about timing, it wasn't about anything other than a group of people wanting to exercise and be fit and healthy and be together! Turns out, I need more of that in my life. I need more social time, I need more walking time. The summer humidity is a lot harder on me than I would have expected (I think I'm superwoman sometimes) and running is not where it's gonna be at all summer. I'm gonna fit it in where I can, but there's no reason to kill myself!
Plus, there are way more people to walk with than there are to run with! :)
I look forward to getting together with the canal ladies again, and with anyone else this summer to walk and enjoy nice places!
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