I started running last summer (July 2011) Before that, I eschewed running. As my sister says, it's the only exercise that is not fun to do. When you do it, you kind of want it to be over. Tennis? Hiking? Swimming? Diving? Squash? Skiing? All are enjoyable when you're doing them. Running feels good when you get the runners high, and then it just kind of all hurts. Personally, running is the only sport that I do where my muscles are stiff and painful the next day. Even lifting weights is more pleasant for me.
Nevertheless, I started. I have always been a cardio machine on the elliptical. My boyfriend at the time (who ran) could not understand how I would do an hour plus on the elliptical, but then beg for reprieve after 5 minutes of running. Bless his heart, he decided to teach me how to run. I downloaded an app (free) on my iPhone called "RunKeeper". RunKeeper is awesome, because you can set it to cue you to change speed (slow, steady, fast) based on distance run or time run.
We started by doing intervals: we'd run for a minute, walk for a minute. Then, after a couple of weeks, we bumped it up to running for a minute 30 seconds, and walking a minute. Then I bumped it up after a couple of weeks to running 2 minutes, walking 1 minute. I got to the point where I was running 6 miles 4 times a week. My pace was about 10 and a half minutes per mile. One day, about 3 months after I started with the intervals, I decided to just keep running and not do the interval running. I was able to run 3 miles without a problem at a pace of 8:30 a mile. I was astounded.
However, I kind of started to slack off after that. I would run after work, and when I buckled down to study for the AFOQT, I couldn't fit in running and studying. I picked studying after work instead of running (glad I did!) When I got to Boston, I would do one long run a week, but then I slacked off on that too. When I went to Ohio over school vacation, I realized that I had totally lost my running prowess. My sister literally ran circles around me, and it made me realize that I had to start running regularly again.
Running for even a mile straight is still a mental hurdle that I can't get over. When I was in good running form, the first mile was always the worst. I couldn't wait for it to be over. So since I knew that I had to run no matter what, I started interval running again. Mentally, it is much easier for me to "woman up" and do.
Sometimes when I would think "O.K., you should run 5 miles today" I wouldn't go. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. However, interval running is something that I really like. I know I have my walking minutes. It's not that bad. So since I got back from Ohio, I've run every day bar one. Even if it's a little bit, I do it. It already feels much better! I know that running will be a HUGE part of Officer Training School, so I need to be comfortable running. One thing that I would LOVE all of your help on, is music. I have a playlist that is fun, bouncy songs. However, I'm not a fan of putting pop songs on that playlist. They get played so much on the radio, I get sick of them and don't want to hear them when I'm running. Let me give you some examples. I like the following song for it's beat and it's motivational tune:
But I also like less "dance-y" stuff. I heard this on a Volkswagen commercial and it's now on my running playlist. I also discovered that I love this group:
Finally, I do like "rap", but...different rap. This is a french artist who identifies himself as a "house music" artist, but this song is not solely "house":
Anyway, if anyone has some good tunes they'd like to suggest, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I'm liking running again, and good tunes would make it even better. Finally, a little update on some other things. I am probably going to take my Air Force medical in Boston sometime next week.
I recently did a physical for my student pilot certificate. Students usually get a 3rd class physical, but the doctor who examined me used to be a naval doctor, and asked if I'd like a 1st class. 1st class physicals usually include an EKG, but guess what? If you're under 40, no EKG. I just had more stringent vision requirements. I registered in at 20/20, which is exactly what the Air Force needs for me to get in. My peripheral vision isn't great, but I don't think there's anything I can do to fix it. My "body symmetry" is good, as are my blood pressure ("you're gonna live forever!" He said) and other things.
Additionally, I found out that in my "eye year" I am filing paperwork, and hanging out at a base. Interesting...
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