Sunday, May 19, 2013

Back in the Saddle

My cough 90% gone, I decided to bite the bullet and finally go for a run today. I have been three weeks off running, and was really itching to get back out there.

A few factors didn't cooperate, most notably my lungs. I'm still congested and coughing up phlegm, so I wasn't surprised to struggle in that regard. I was planning to do two miles, but then the rain set in. I purposely chose a route close to home so I could easily return if my body wimped out.
Just the right amount of stormy, and the rain blessed me with cooler temperatures, too.
I fully expected to be a wreck today, given that three weeks off can really set a runner back, and had accepted that this run might not be great. But I completed it in 9:48, and ran more than half of it between 8:50 and 9:07. (Given the short distance, that's not so impressive, but I'm feeling oddly proud about it.)

In the end, I was out of breath, rained-on, and exuberant.
Check out that *glow*
There was something beautiful about running in the rain. I felt cleansed of some of my hang ups and excuses that have been weighing me down this month. And when I plugged the run into Nike+, I knew I'd made the right decision when I saw this:


If I had allowed May to slip through my fingers completely, I would have missed my goal of "no blank months" this year.

I have a long journey ahead, even to start building up to a solid 4 miles, but I've been there before and I'll get there again. Today, I'm feeling positive.

How would you describe the feeling of a first run back after a break?

Do you like running in the rain?

ABK

8 comments:

  1. Yesterday was my first run after a week off and it was really hard. Today I'm definitely paying for it because I pushed quite a bit hard than I should have.

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    1. It's amazing how quickly running can backslide with some time off, but it's good that the time off is very motivating! I hope you're feeling better; I know you were sick too!

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  2. Ease back into running when you're coming off a sickness :) But I always think a little sweat gets out the sickness. Hope you're back to 100% ASAP!

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    1. Once the sickness was 90% out of my lungs, I was happy to risk it, and the run definitely helped get the rest of the gunk out, that's for sure.

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  3. I love running in the rain, but I don't love wet shoes.

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    1. Same! That's one reason I cut the run short; a little drizzle is nice, but I was worried about my shoes and iPhone!

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  4. I love running in the rain (if it's not a downpour). And I'm also a big believer in running out sickness. Obviously you have to be able to at least walk, but after that, I almost always feel better after a run, even a short and/or slow one.

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    1. When I get sick, it so often manifests in my lungs because of my asthma. But once they're working at 90%, a run definitely helps get me the rest of the way there!

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