I have been a fat, lazy ass the past week. John & I took the kids to the beach for a long weekend and I didn't do one bit of exercise, running, nothing! Unless laying on the beach looking for young, hot surfers counts as exercise. I did boogie board the last day there, so I will take that as a workout ;) We got back home super late Monday night & I got back to the gym yesterday. I only did it to attempt to lose the 3 pounds and poochy stomach I had gained while stuffing my face with unhealthy food for several days. I ran 2 miles & thought I would die. Running after indulging on vacation for 5 days is NOT an easy task! I was a hot mess. I am attempting to get back on track with my running again. I got up early this morning to head out, but not before I slather every inch of exposed skin with SPF 55 sunscreen. I think I found an old lady wrinkle running down the middle of my chest, so I am freaking out! All this sun CAN'T be good, right?
Anyways, I tried to get outside by 5:40ish to avoid as much of the heat as possible, but didn't leave until 15 minutes later. I had mapped out a 4.6 mile course last night that I was attempting today. SCORE! I did it!! It felt so good to be running, with my lungs on fire and my breathing all loud & ragged....it just felt great to be moving like that again! It was hot. And my first half of the run was uphill, but I enjoyed it so that I could enjoy the downhill part that much more. But it felt l-o-n-g and I felt like I was running in slow motion. I had to take a very short walk break just to regroup my thoughts and concentrate on how fast {...or slow...} I needed to be moving. All in all, it was a good run. I did have to take 3 walk breaks, so short & insignificant that I almost don't want to mention them, but I would feel like I was "cheating" if I didn't say anything ;) My calves are throbbing like crazy right now & I definitely feel a strain in my knees & ankles. I think I will stay at 4 and a half miles for the next week or 2, at a slow & easy pace {uhhhh, my normal pace} then try to build up my speed after I can "easily" do my 4.5 miles. *sigh* It's a work in progress.
