Sunday, November 11, 2012

2.7; 45; 34

2.7 miles; 45 (ish) minutes; 34 degrees

Today I attempted to actually raise my heart rate for the first time, in a very very long time. So I suppose this is my first official "running" blog post.

The weather this afternoon was very cold and brisk. There was a massive freezing wind creating a loud rustling sound all around me. I took my slap-happy chocolate lab, Pavlov, and we left the house about 2:00 p.m. We walked our .7 mile "loop" around the neighborhood. We then walked one mile out and back to my house. I walked about a 16 minute mile. I probably never got out of breath but I did eventually walk quickly enough to get myself warmed up, just a bit.

Other than the very cold wind, it was a beautiful day. There were no clouds and a beautiful bright sunny afternoon.

Overall this "workout" was a major success. A little mileage, a little warm up for the legs. A little test of the joints and ligaments and at the end, I felt pretty solid. I'm laughably tired from the effort but that's ok. Baby steps. Long road back.

Quick check on my body. I am the softest, doughiest, weakest version of myself I have been in a very very long time. I looked at my legs in a pair of shorts last week and giggled. I have chubby thighs and skinny calves. This means, my calf muscles have basically atrophied from lack of use and my baby fat has settled where my fat always settles-butt and thighs. My core is very very weak and I feel this mostly through low back pain.  My lower abdomen muscles and pelvic muscles are sore a lot and I can tell pretty stretched out.  While my legs tire quickly, they actually feel reasonably stable.  My feet (my usual weakest spot) are holding up very well. I stuck to very sensible shoes while pregnant and currently am living in shoes with high arch supports. My upper back and shoulders actually feel pretty strong, probably from all the baby lugging.  My arms, however...jiggly.

My basic plan for returning to a fit and lean version of me...DO NOTHING for the first two weeks after baby. Start walking between weeks 2-4. I have fulfilled the plan. I sometimes think I was born to do nothing so I was really good at that for weeks 1 and 2. Walk on treadmill, at incline between weeks 4-8. 30 day yoga challenge from November 23-December 23. (This translates to daily yoga on each of the these days and this goal may well kill me.) Start walk/running after January 1. That's as far as my "plan" goes.

All of the reflection and record keeping serves a greater purpose for me. I am a very goal oriented person. If I don't have something keeping me motivated and moving me forward, I tend to fall way way short of my capabilities. I don't believe I am a particularly talented runner but I have seen my body respond to being pushed and formed and re-formed many times over the years and I honestly believe I am capable of every single goal I set out below. That said, I realize that many of these goals are so lofty that it's going to take an behemoth effort to accomplish. I think part of this "journal" or blog for me, is about accountability to myself. Making myself stick to my goals and keeping me focused. I mean, if I say it online...I have to do it, right?

So here goes (GULP):

(1) I want to finish the 2013 Wichita Half Marathon.

(2) I want to run the local 4 mile Superbowl run, preferably with no walking.

(3) I want to run a marathon in all 50 states. I am (I believe) 14 states in. This should be accomplished by approximately the year 2030.

(4) I want to run a sub 1:45 half marathon. (Current PR Is 1:51:30).  This should be accomplished by 2018(?).

(5) I want to run the Chicago 2013 marathon in 4:30.

(6) I want to qualify for the Boston Marathon. [This is the biggest most lofty, most unrealistic and ridiculous goal I've ever actually said out loud. But now it's out there. And maybe, in 10 years or so(?), it will happen. In the meantime, it's cooking in the back of my head at all times and will be a driving force me in my running for a long time to come.]
(7) I want to be able to hold the following yoga poses: crow; headstand; firefly; wheel and pigeon. I am a very inflexible girl with terrible balance and limited strength, especially upper body strength. So all yoga goals are way way outside my comfort zone.
In the meantime, 2.7 miles at 16 minute miles. Baby baby steps. New baby still nursing every 2.5 hours steps. Newborn baby still 15ish pounds overweight steps. New baby, still feeling my insides getting adjusted to not having a 8+ pound boy resting on them steps. At least I'm taking those tender steps right?

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