W4R1 - the good and the bad

[IgaT]

Hello family

First, thank you Wolvesmad for support and believing in me.

Today, I had terrible day. After yesterday's approx. 12 hours of computer work, my brain was fried. Even after quite decent night with around 7 hours of sleep, I felt exhausted since morning. Well, I struggled to kick myself out of the bed. Going to work was a miracle. 8 hours of work - a total nightmare. I could barely stand, my brain was barely working, and it was one of those tough Mondays at work as well.

My gremlins were saying: "You are exhausted", "It is cold", "It is windy", "What's the point?", "You won't succeed anyway. How many times have your started and tried this programme and never got to the end?", "You will trip as today is not a good day to run", "Dog will be pulling you around, so you damage your back again", "You can postpone it for tomorrow, or the day after", and so on, and so forth. They just didn't want to shut up.

I found only one way to close their effing mouths. As soon as I came home, I changed my clothes for running immediately. I took a deep breath and few sips of water. I did several leg swings for a warm up, and took my dog. I started to pray to all gods that exist or not to be merciful and allow me to survive without any damage. The god of sun showed good heart, as the sun came out and the world looked really beautiful with tree leaves that started already to change their colours for autumn. So many colours around me with blue sky with only few clouds. The temperature got milder, so the air wasn't so crispy anymore. My dog tried her best to behave, although with various results. We finished warm up walk and ended on the football field for our runs. The beginning was challenging, as I need to convince my body for some extra energy expenditure and some more energetic movements. No more zombie walk that I was performing all day long. I believe it was 3 minute run. I'm glad it wasn't a short one, as my body took a while to understand what the hell is going on and what I expect from it. My legs were heavy and so did my steps. Like a small elephant, but it improved with time. My dog in the meantime was running like crazy all around happy that she is off the lead and that we are doing something so fun together. Clearly we have a little bit different definition of "fun".

I was happy that there was almost nobody on the field during the whole time. As all my mental power went to total concentration on moving my legs forward and breathing. Oh yes, breathing. Deep breaths, supply my muscles and all body with oxygen. Precious oxygen. I wasn't panting. I was sweating more than usual. But y breathing was heavy. I think I can say it was the day of heaviness. All the runs went better than expected. Even the last one. I just had not pleasant surprise, as during last 30 seconds of running my dog found a fox poo. Yeap, the perfume Fox Chanel No 5. Still the best classic among dogs. Whoever had this doubtful pleasure knows exactly what I'm talking about. Thus, my after-run stretching was postponed for after a dog and my shower, as she managed to share this great perfume with me... Saving your details - my bathroom needed a clean, my dog needed some stress venting while playing tug of war (she hates showering, I don't have a hose or anything to clean her in my garden). I got very hungry, so my stretches shrank to the minimum of 5 minutes while reheating my soup.

The good:

- my huge sharp headache mostly disappeared

- I completed the run

- I won my inner battle

- I saw beautiful autumn colours

- My dog had some fun, and then some more fun

- I showered my dog (it happens once every two years or so - only after Fox Chanel or similar top dog perfume)

- I'm sure there dozens of body health benefits

- I am not so tired - I think I was more mentally tired, now I am more physically tired.

Believe in yourself and push through! In doubts, come to forum and good people will help you with motivation.

Happy running and thank you everybody - without you I wouldn't be where I am now!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Great run... gremlins will have to come up with more than that to stop you. Onwards! Have fun.

[IgaT Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks To be honest, I hope they won't figure out anything more. I know rain and snow is coming, so it will be another challenge. But I hope I showed them what I think about their opinion and close their mouths for some time.

[Wolvesmad Graduate]

Look at you. So proud of you

Told you that you could do it. Don't give them demons time to talk you out of it.

Have a chill out day tomorrow as wednesday will soon be here lol

IgaT 5 minute runner. Sounds good doesn't it

[IgaT Graduate in reply to Wolvesmad]

Indeed sounds great! Even more 2 x 5min runner

I think tomorrow I will try to have really lazy day after work, apart from walking my dog, and some housework, and cooking, and some computer work I was supposed to do today, but didn't manage... Hell, it won't be lazy day, but it will be rest from running day. And I will skip exercise routine, maybe just 7 min workout (Hight Intensity Circuit Training), just to keep me refreshed and make my blood go faster

Demons... tricky things in our heads...

[Determined50]

Well done - I got this run tomorrow so although you have had it tough you have written a very inspiring post. Be proud! ( your dog sounds like mine!! Keep going you are doing great😎

[IgaT Graduate in reply to Determined50]

Thank you I am proud It is already week 4, and I am doing every single run - 3 times a week. I am so damn proud of it. I have issues with consistency, so this is huge achievement for me

Dogs - we love them even when we hate them My black furry fury is 30 kg of pure optimism, energy, and happiness, unless she sees cat, or is on lead. She forgets that she is not a puppy, and that she is not small and delicate. She is full of rough love to all human beings with terrible ball fixation - big theft and explorer she is. I had a thought that those runs will calm her down as she will use this excess energy, but I'm afraid I was wrong. She gain fitness way faster than me, and the more fit she gets the more energy she has. Soon I will need to go for 1- or 2-hour run with her every day, and in a year or two 6 hour hike finished with nice hour long run Well, maybe I just should quit my job and walk and job all day long ;D

[Katnap Graduate]

Ace post as ever IgaT. Keep it up!

[IgaT Graduate in reply to Katnap]

Thanks

Today I run long, and I write long. I started to "write" this post in my head somewhere in the middle of first run. Of course, I changed it multiple times while running, and it turned out totally different when I actually sit down and write.

Life is amazing! It can be really breathtaking, and your realise how perfectly it tries to take your breath away when you are pushing through yet another running interval Then, you can concentrate on the juicy green colour of the grass, on the white stripe across blue sky, on the length of your dog's tongue, on your ribcage moving up and down.

It's so good to be alive! It's so good to be able to go and run

Happy running! Enjoy your next run!

[emily-m Graduate]

Great post.

[IgaT Graduate in reply to emily-m]

Thank you Emily Some runs are better, some posts comes out "better". I think / believe we all struggle with our demons. I know that reading how other people in here defeated their weaknesses, go out of their comfort zone standing face to face with whatever is trying to stop them, and knowing that they won, gave me power and inspiration to push forward, to silence the lying voices in my head that try to stop me. I hope that my posts (at least some / few of them) will help somebody else. And this is the power of this forum. We are all equal, we are all going through similar obstacles, we all have our doubts, small fails (First Attempts In Learning) and our big wins

[Pattypoos Graduate]

I was thinking of you this morning when I was out on my W4R1. Not so eventful for me!

[IgaT Graduate in reply to Pattypoos]

Sometimes uneventful is good Calm runs are nice

[Craftysue66 Graduate]

Glad you didn't listen to the pesky gremlins. Exercise our the best cure for mental stress if you can for it in but have you tried meditating? I use 2 apps - Insight Timer and Headspace. I used to have difficulty 'switching off' to get to sleep but now listen to some meditation music before sleeping and it really works. If stressed I would do a meditation during the day. Lots of free stuff to choose from. Good luck with the next run - be positive x

[IgaT Graduate in reply to Craftysue66]

I tried Headspace and Pause. I try to meditate. I am not consistent with it, not yet. I once tried NRC+ (Nike Running Club with Headspace), but my app kept pausing which annoyed me. I still have the app, but haven't tried it again.

[Nobbywatts Graduate]

Short runs, long runs, smelly runs, fragrant runs (whatever that might be), they're all good. And a nice post for us to read also. Well done!

[IgaT Graduate in reply to Nobbywatts]

Thank you Each run is making us better. Each run gives us new experiences. Each run makes us healthier and happier