Day 1
1 Jan 2011 New Year’s Day. I’ve dreamt/worried/fretted/thought about this through the night. Where? How? What’ll I wear? Go feel foolish by myself? Ask Bruce to keep me company?
My plan … walk for 10 minutes to warm up. Run for 1 minute. Walk for 5 minutes. Run 1. Walk 5. Do a 5km loop – over the dunes and along the beach to Bridge Street, down to and along the Estuary Walkway to Owles Tce then home. Run 1. Walk 5. Till I get home again. Sounds easy? Let’s go! Put on the pretty shoes, any old comfortable clothes. Hat? Sunglasses? Enough- just get out and move!
8:35: Walk to the beach. I notice that my left leg is stiff and sore along the inside of the knee. Bugger! Should I push it and injure myself on the first day? Give in before I’ve even started?! Wait a day till this goes away? Or carry on and see what happens? My mind is a mess of confusion as the time approaches to … run! Bruce checked if I’d like him to come along and I decided that I’d like his company. He’s been here – a non-runner just a few years ago. He asks about my plan and thinks it’s a good one. After all, I’ve decided to do what he did to start out. He also understands that this is my journey so in no way imposes himself on my process. From time to time along the way he offers a few comments about what has helped him along the way. I am grateful for his support – and that he in no way pushes me or takes away from this experience.
A group of young athletic runners, a mix of men and women, come along. We hear them chatting from a distance. I cringe a bit cause I don’t want to take my first running baby steps in front of these fit, fluid beautiful people. I decide to take it as a sign – they’re here to see me off on my running journey. As they pass us I break out of my brisk walk into – a running stride! I’m off, with Bruce by my side fitting in with my “marker method”. I realize that my plan about minutes won’t work cause my watch doesn’t have a second hand! So I run from one beach entry walkway to the next one – actually I go for two. Puffing a bit and switch to a brisk walk past a couple of them, run to the next one then walk past a couple. Keep doing this until we get to the South Brighton Surf Club and the Bridge St exit. We take a bit of time to stretch out my legs. Left leg is still feeling stiff and sore. I realize there is no actual rush at this point – taking care of myself is more important than feeling compelled to keep moving once I start. That was a new idea – thank-you Bruce.
Carry on. Walk a bit then run to the round-about. Very puffed but got there – just! Walk to Estuary Walkway entrance. Stretch my leg out again. Start choosing “milestones” to reach along the way (the second lamp post, the big tree, the curve in the path) and at Bruce’s suggestion – run through them with no slowing up as I approach them. Run a bit. Walk some more. Run a bit, Walk more. Run – very puffed. What have I got myself into?! My lungs just don’t have the capacity to give me enough oxygen - yet. Bruce has encouraging words along the way. Calmly letting me know that I’m on track and doing great. This is great?!! Run. Walk. Run .Walk. Another Bruce tip he shares with me – finish any run as you want to finish in a race. So at the corner of my street I run towards home and sprint the final few metres, feet thudding through the gate, as I cross “my” finish line for today.
9:25 One hour all up with the stretching breaks along the way. Finished puffing hard but recovered pretty fast. Kept sweating for awhile. Feeling good – elated actually! Leg no longer sore. I have made a gentle start. I did it and survived. Time to do some stretches. Bruce shows me the ones given to him by a physio that helps his knee. They resemble my Pilates stretches so I do them quite comfortably. I add a few others that I like. Now time for a berry smoothie and then a shower. Well done Judy!!
Judy tip:
Don’t spend too much time designing the plan, getting the clothes right (except for good shoes), setting up schedules, thinking about the right food, running style, etc., etc. I know I could have stalled indefinitely as I researched “how to start running”. Just get out and move in a caring way – run, walk, run, walk. Stop and stretch if you feel a need, and keep going till you get home. See what happens. Stretch. Observe how you feel – body, mind and spirit. Look forward to your next outing.
Day 2
Bruce heads off on a longer run loop this morning. I’m left to my own devices. Get myself dressed, pretty shoes on. I feel self-conscious heading off on my own. Walk to the beach and down a short way. Solid wet sand left by a high tide going out provides a hard yet giving surface – less impact than concrete pathways. Run a bit, walk lots. 3 sets and turn off at Bridge St. Left leg feeling good – not stiff and sore like yesterday so I don’t stop to stretch. I run to the round-about. Walk. Run to Estuary Walkway. Shorter run times but more frequent. ie. less walking. I feel like I need some kind of marker to keep track of how I am doing. I start counting when my right foot hits the ground. When I reach 60 I switch to walking. I combine this with setting distance markers. I hear feet thudding behind me – it’s Bruce! Caught up with me on the last leg of his longer loop. He joins me, happy to match my pace. Walk, run, walk, run. Sprint through the gate. Water. Stretch. Muesli and berry smoothie time. Shower and pat myself on the back.
At the end of the run-walk I was feeling puffed but energized. A bit sore up the front of my thighs. Will do some quad stretches through the day.
Thoughts? Cannot imagine my lungs ever being able to last for 5km. – going for more than about a minute is my current limit. Will carry on though and see what happens with repetition.
Day 3
Very stiff quads! Hard to stand up after sitting for awhile! Decided last night that this would be a “recovery day” so don’t feel like I am piking out of running but know it is part of my “plan”. Slept very well – in fact, had trouble waking up. Is this part of recovery from my extra exertions?
Day 4
A run day. Bruce joins me. The beach is too soft and uneven to run on so we run/walk along the top of the dunes and go down the other side along the track on the inside of the dunes. I set the pace. I count my right foot steps. 60. Then walk, walk, walk. I get to 80 and later 100. Back to 80, then 60. Feet and legs feel fine. No pain or stiffness. So I think the rest/recovery day was a good idea. My lung capacity is so low though. It’s what is letting me down. But there already seems to be an improvement. I sprint through the gate gasping for air. Laughing with excitement at completing the dash.
Why am I doing this? To see if it is possible for me. And if it generates other changes.
I create and post the blog. I plan to write every day to track my progress. Would love to hear stories about how other runners got started.
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