We'll put it together and we'll get it all done. Some day we'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun
Today marks the one year anniversary of me running on the treadmill. I knew once I spent over $2,000 on a treadmill that I would have to use it.
I remember the first day I got onto the treadmill. I was scared to hurt my calf muscle more, which had been torn on June 11, 2005. And I was scared of hurting my knees, as I had so much excess weight on me that I know the pressure of running a lot can hurt the knees, but that is why I got the reflex deck.
On Monday October 31, 2005, I started walking at 3 mph on my NordicTrack 7600 R with the Reflex Deck. I thought “I can do this,” so I then went a little faster, 3.5 mph. I remember getting up to 4 mph and jogging, sweating and huffing and puffing like I’d run a marathon. Then, thinking I was going for broke, I hit it up to 5 mph and ran for about 3 minutes at that speed, sure that at any moment my heart, which was beating so fast, was going to explode in my chest.
At the time, I was able to walk/jog/run for 18 minutes: I would do a few minutes at 3 mph, a few minutes at 4 mph, a few minutes at 5 mph, then go back to 4 mph for a few minutes, down to 3 mph for a few minutes, then repeat.
When I completed my 18 minutes, I was drenched in sweat and could barely stand up, had to lunge off the treadmill to my computer desk chair. I remember my lungs burning, and gulping air even several minutes after I finished running. I remember my leg muscles too week to hold me up, at least in the short term after I got off the treadmill. I remember sitting in that chair for about 30 minutes, completely drenched in sweat (I had a towel over the chair, so it wasn’t that disgusting) and feeling sick. Maybe not sick, but dizzy, couldn’t focus for the longest time.
Once my head cleared and I didn’t think I would dry heave (I hadn’t eaten in many hours, so I there was no food to bring up) all I kept thinking was “How in the HELL am I going to do this FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE?????
Yes, even then, I knew that once I truly started this whole exercise thing, it wasn’t going to be for a few months and if I shed any weight I’d stop. This was going to have to be a lifetime endeavor. My father was really fat in his lifetime, just an enormous belly. And my oldest brother has had weight problems, yo-yo’ing up and down like I have done throughout my adulthood. And I just didn’t want to do that anymore.
So here I am, one year later, and I run 3.1 miles in 30 minutes, running as fast as 8 mph for half a mile towards the end of my run. I get off the treadmill, spend about 3-4 minutes catching my breath, jump in the shower, and then get doing my regular things in the evening after work (cleaning, laundry, dishes, sometimes shopping). I don’t even sweat as much as I did when I started. I’m not saying it is easy to run now, but if someone had told me one year ago that I would be able to jump on a treadmill, run for 30 minutes over 3 miles total and be able to be productive afterwards, not just lay around recovering, I would have thought that the person who told me that was wrong. I would have argued that that person was dead wrong.
And I know that I can do this, at least 3 times a week, for the rest of my life – and I am fine with that thought. It actually brings a smile to my face thinking of it. I just have to make sure I have enough DVD’s to watch while running, and I know I can do it. So Happy Anniversary to me and my treadmill…and my legs that are getting stronger, and to my lungs that can breathe easier, and to my heart that is healthier. And next year, if it all works out, let’s hope I am celebrating my lowered cholesterol.
Until then, I am just going to keep running. And running. And running. And after that, I will just keep running. And running. And running. And that is cool.
I remember the first day I got onto the treadmill. I was scared to hurt my calf muscle more, which had been torn on June 11, 2005. And I was scared of hurting my knees, as I had so much excess weight on me that I know the pressure of running a lot can hurt the knees, but that is why I got the reflex deck.
On Monday October 31, 2005, I started walking at 3 mph on my NordicTrack 7600 R with the Reflex Deck. I thought “I can do this,” so I then went a little faster, 3.5 mph. I remember getting up to 4 mph and jogging, sweating and huffing and puffing like I’d run a marathon. Then, thinking I was going for broke, I hit it up to 5 mph and ran for about 3 minutes at that speed, sure that at any moment my heart, which was beating so fast, was going to explode in my chest.
At the time, I was able to walk/jog/run for 18 minutes: I would do a few minutes at 3 mph, a few minutes at 4 mph, a few minutes at 5 mph, then go back to 4 mph for a few minutes, down to 3 mph for a few minutes, then repeat.
When I completed my 18 minutes, I was drenched in sweat and could barely stand up, had to lunge off the treadmill to my computer desk chair. I remember my lungs burning, and gulping air even several minutes after I finished running. I remember my leg muscles too week to hold me up, at least in the short term after I got off the treadmill. I remember sitting in that chair for about 30 minutes, completely drenched in sweat (I had a towel over the chair, so it wasn’t that disgusting) and feeling sick. Maybe not sick, but dizzy, couldn’t focus for the longest time.
Once my head cleared and I didn’t think I would dry heave (I hadn’t eaten in many hours, so I there was no food to bring up) all I kept thinking was “How in the HELL am I going to do this FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE?????
Yes, even then, I knew that once I truly started this whole exercise thing, it wasn’t going to be for a few months and if I shed any weight I’d stop. This was going to have to be a lifetime endeavor. My father was really fat in his lifetime, just an enormous belly. And my oldest brother has had weight problems, yo-yo’ing up and down like I have done throughout my adulthood. And I just didn’t want to do that anymore.
So here I am, one year later, and I run 3.1 miles in 30 minutes, running as fast as 8 mph for half a mile towards the end of my run. I get off the treadmill, spend about 3-4 minutes catching my breath, jump in the shower, and then get doing my regular things in the evening after work (cleaning, laundry, dishes, sometimes shopping). I don’t even sweat as much as I did when I started. I’m not saying it is easy to run now, but if someone had told me one year ago that I would be able to jump on a treadmill, run for 30 minutes over 3 miles total and be able to be productive afterwards, not just lay around recovering, I would have thought that the person who told me that was wrong. I would have argued that that person was dead wrong.
And I know that I can do this, at least 3 times a week, for the rest of my life – and I am fine with that thought. It actually brings a smile to my face thinking of it. I just have to make sure I have enough DVD’s to watch while running, and I know I can do it. So Happy Anniversary to me and my treadmill…and my legs that are getting stronger, and to my lungs that can breathe easier, and to my heart that is healthier. And next year, if it all works out, let’s hope I am celebrating my lowered cholesterol.
Until then, I am just going to keep running. And running. And running. And after that, I will just keep running. And running. And running. And that is cool.
posted by Mike at 10:21 AM
3 Comments:
congrats keep up the running!
Run Forest, Run!
I tease, but really, i just wish i could find your motivation and congratulations on sticking with it! You have done a great job over the last year and you look better than i can remember. (within 10 years at least). I agree with Brian on the 2000/day calorie change and of course i have all kinds of other recommendations, none of which i follow so hey, take them with a grain of salt. Congrats!
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