Running

Lucas and I recently started a couch to 5K running program. Well, sort of. Lucas kind of jumped ahead and in one week went from couch to 1.8 miles with 1 walking break. Show off. (just kidding....kind of). I, on the other hand, did day one, tried and failed on day 2, and skipped day 3 completely. In my defense, I'm pregnant and still somewhat lightheaded at times. After day one, which went REALLY well, I was super surprised when I couldn't handle it on day 2. Seriously. It was a little warmer (I think 82?) and I had just started a new medication which turned me into a zombie, though, so I am keeping those things in mind.

But.........I still really hate to admit that I even HAVE to start a couch to 5K program in the first place! In my head, I think of myself as a runner. I ran track in junior high, cross country and track in high school, ran the St. Louis marathon in college, multiple 10Ks and 5Ks when we lived in KC, the Boulder Backroads half marathon and multiple Bolder Boulder 10Ks when we lived in Denver, aaaaaaaaaand.......NADA since we moved to Houston. This first month we lived here, I tried running almost every morning. I had the summer off since we moved in May and my job didn't start until August, so I would just get up when Lucas left for work and go out and run (or, attempt to run). The heat here was a HUGE wall for me. I could barely make it out of our apartment complex without feeling like I was going to keel over if I didn't find shade and water immediately. Granted, we had moved here from Denver---going from zero humidity to almost 100% humidity overnight. But, the thing is....in the summer here, you really don't see many runners outside. You would have to be crazy! A friend of Lucas' at work actually trained with a group for the Houston marathon, and they literally did their training runs in the middle of the night (3:00 AM!) because if they waited too much later, the heat would be unbearable. And the other thing is...summer here lasts forever! I have heard the seasons in Houston described as summer, and almost summer (admittedly by my husband, but I think it is pretty accurate...). It is late October now, and it is finally to the point where we decided we could get outside and run.

I know, the obvious way around the heat obstacle is to move join a gym and run indoors, and I did consider it. I have a history, though, of joining gyms and not going very often, unless they are super close by. So, instead, I spent the last 3 years convincing myself that I could still consider myself a runner if I just planned to run again someday. My brain really thought it would be easy to just decide to run again and then my body would somehow pick up where it left off. Sigh.

So, while it is really hard to admit I have to start with a walk and run program, I am so glad to be running again. I know that in a few months, the heat will be back, but I guess I will save that problem for when it gets here. The 5K we are planning to do is on December 4th and I am pretty excited about it. Lucas actually has a time goal in mind, while I am set on just finishing without walking (again, painful to admit, but at this point, the most realistic option...).

But, even with all my time off, and my slow start back, I do still think of myself as a runner. So, if anyone wants to join Lucas and I and either make a return to running or start from scratch, let me know! I'll send you the details on the 5K and would love to see you there :)