Got back from the last of the Week 1 run's a few hours ago and I feel great. The setup for today was better than for Day 2, so I might try doing the same thing next time.
Recipe for a nice run (subject to change):
- Spend the entire day doing inane things like laundry, cleaning, making slides for Monday.
- Try stretching and get bored.
- Stick on some music to try and make stretching more fun.
- Queue some cheesy pop, in this case it was classic Britney but you can salt to taste.
- Remember that dancing is much more fun than stretching and do that instead.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 300 degrees K. Stir frequently.
Basically, the upbeat pop and the dancing, whilst - as my partner informs me - being atrocious to witness, put me in an excellent mood and so I peeled on my exercise gear and headed out.
It was a beautiful evening here in east pacific bay, and there was a cool breeze blowing in from the sea. My mood was slightly dampened when some bronzed, gangly teens on skate boards trailed me for a bit. I couldn't hear them because the nice NHS lady was telling me when to run and when to walk, but I could imagine. After a while they wandered back to their dreary lives of being young and beautiful, prepped to ruin someone else's day. In all seriousness though, nothing was bringing me down, not even intentional rudeness! I finished the rest of the run and my phone informed me I travelled a little further this day than the last. Nothing to write home about, but enough that I could see what a difference my attitude made.
So, I'm leaving Week 1 feeling very optimistic and looking forward to building this new habit. A lot of that is from the tremendous support I've seen on this forum. Honestly, I spend a fair bit of time in other online spaces and I am overwhelmed with the generosity of spirit I've seen here. Thank you lovely people.
But some of it too is knowing that I'm doing something positive for myself, not to drive my career or social standing, not to please someone else - just for me. It's nice. Look, I know that not every day will be this easy - maybe Katy Perry will be on the radio when I start stretching :((( - but it's nice to feel something positive from exercising. I'm a little nervous for Week 2 but I'm going to do it. Slow and steady.
P.s. What is your pre-run ritual? Do you have a snack a few hours before? Roll out of bed? Roll out of your office-clothes? I'd love to know!
P.p.s I'm taking these comics from a lovely site called manvsmanatee . com but if I add it as a real link the post gets flagged. I feel bad not attributing the artist because she's fantastic so hopefully this is enough. Anyway, see you next week!
Week 1 run 3
Week 3 run 1
Week 7 day 1...almost 
Week 1 run 1
Week 3 Day 1
