Day 7

I actually yelled out in elation when I started running in my new shoes. No pain in my ankles, no pain in my feet... It was like running on a cloud and it felt like I didn't even have shoes on my feet. I am so keeping these shoes!!! Can't wait to take 'em out on the road tomorrow. Hopefully it won't be raining!!
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Day 6

I couldn't stop myself from going to the fitness center at work but I convinced myself I needed to do something besides run and opted for the elliptical. My ankle didn't bother me too much and I felt encouraged that all I needed was a day to rest it and could hit the running again. And then I made my first visit to a running store. After an hour with the sales guy and a whole bunch of shoes, I walked out with my first pair of shoes just right for me. Holy shit!! Guess what, my ankle doesn't hurt anymore! It was also the first pair of shoes I ever bought without looking at the price tag and trying to talk myself out of them because quite frankly I would have paid anything they said for the way they fit my foot. I am back in the game. Or, one could argue, I am finally officially in the game... The only obstacle now is finding a treadmill over the weekend and avoiding the temptation to just go outside and run since the sales guy (who is up there on a pedastal at this point) said I had to do a real run on a treadmill to be sure they were really the right shoe. If I run outside first they cannot be exchanged. So, I am headed to my nearest friend's or family with a treadmill at the first available opportunity! Running shoes are the best thing since sliced bread!

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Day 5

Feet up with a chai and ice on my ankle... I ran indoors today and took it easy because my ankle was still achy from yesterday's run. I was able to run but not as long as I wanted because I was afraid of really injuring myself. I got 12 minutes of run/walk intervals in and walked more at the end than the program outlines. I am toying with taking a day off between runs for a few days to see if that will ease me in a bit easier - although I hate the thought of days without running. The 30/30 program is designed for either every day for a month or every other day for 2 months with the same results. Sadly I think I need some rest days in between - at least until I drop some of this pesky weight off my frame making it easier on my poor joints. We'll see how the ankle feels tomorrow...
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Day 4

Well, it is spring but try telling that to the weather! I got home early and rushed out for my run in hopes of being done before the rain clouds burst. While I got that wish, the run came with mixed emotions. Today, my legs gave out before my lungs. While this caused me elation since I have never been in great cardiovascular shape, I was pissed as hell that I had to walk/ limp the last 10 minutes on a cramping calf when I WANTED TO RUN! Seriously, I don't know who I am anymore and it is only day 4. I woke up this morning thinking about when I was going to get to run. Weird for this reading couch potato! Must hit the running blogs to find tips to alleviate cramping...
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Bitten

I have officially been bitten by the running bug. I never thought I would ever be a runner. I have always chosen water sports or bicycling as the preferred method of exercise and quite frankly thought runners were a bit off their rockers. I don't exactly know what happened but I think I have become one of those runners. I of course have a long training road ahead of me before I can actually run any significant distance but man do I crave just the act of running. I've been taking advantage of the fitness center on site at the new job and been working out on the elliptical or the bike about 3-4 days a week for the past month or two. But then, the elliptical just wasn't enough and I wanted something more strenuous. I took a page out of my husband's playbook and hit the net for some research and found tons of sites for running. Now, I am equipped with a 30-day training plan designed for people just like me who haven't run a day in their lives and promises to turn me into a 3-mile a day runner in a month. Today was day 3 of training. It is amazing how good I feel - my legs are sore for a while after the workout but never lasts into the next day so I can easily train every day. (It is even weird to listen to me right now! Train every day? Who am I?) I will chronicle my training in hopes it might keep me on my rocker...

Training guidelines - "30/30 Program"
Train for 30 days / 30 minutes a day
Must walk the first 10 minutes and the last 5 minutes
Middle 15 minutes, alternate running and walking until you build up ability to run the entire 15 minutes straight. Very beginning goals are to run for 30 seconds, walk for 90.

Day 1 - morning jog/walk outdoors on mostly flat route. Had the dog with me. I don't have a stop watch so I couldn't judge exactly how long the jog intervals were. I just ran until I couldn't anymore and then walked until I could run again. Really out of breath after the running parts but pushed myself to run 4 intervals in the 15 minute time frame. Noticed later in the day my ankles were really sore. Funny the muscles you use differently depending on what you are doing... This was actually the second time I went "running". I attempted to just run a mile a couple of weeks ago and thought I would die plus my hips hurt for days. That was before finding the training program. Training is much better than jumping in blind...

Day 2 - indoors on the treadmill. Wow, I can run longer than I thought! Averaged 90 second running intervals with 1 minute walking in between. Legs were really sore - especially my calves - but stretched really well afterwards. Ankles are still a bit achy but better than yesterday and they didn't bother me WHILE running, just afterwards. Felt good and I was less out of breath today. Had an epiphany on one of the last intervals. I had been running like I always do and was so tired and out of breath but wanted to push myself to run for another full 90 seconds. I changed my stride and instead of bouncing more up and down I kept my upper body stable and flat and just moved my legs. OMG, it was like finding a burst of energy for actual running instead of bouncing. Can this be what the hubby calls being an efficient runner? Look at that, already making progress...

Day 3 - evening outdoors on the same mostly flat route. Had the dog with me again which hindered me today. Might leave her home next time instead of fighting to keep her from sniffing and running to the fences of all the other dogs in the damn neighborhood. Still was able to run several intervals and by using my new and improved stride I was less out of breath than the last time I ran outdoors. Again couldn't be specific on the time and due to doggie issues didn't get as many long running intervals but still a good workout. Ankles aren't noticeably store today - nor is anything else come to think of it. I can't believe I'm training every day!

Full Integration Bliss

OMG I thought I was addicted to the Blackberry before but it was nothing compared to what I have going on now... Before, I thought it was super neat to have access to email and internet anywhere and when I first acquired the new-to-me one I have now it was great but I had gotten over it so much it was like... Eh - especially since it wouldn't download all my contacts or my calendar and I still had to manage those on my PDA. The two days it took to finally figure out why it wouldn't sync with my Outlook calendar and contacts last week with my IT folks was painful but I didn't complain since it is a personal smartphone which they didn't have to support. And now that I am fully functional? I am like a drug addict who once in a while would smoke pot and then finds the joy of hard drugs... Or at least how I think that would feel like. I can blog from anywhere! I can be on Facebook all day! I can Twitter at a whim! All the things I couldn't do when my Blackberry was locked down to only work-approved things so I didn't know about and which are now at my thumb-tips blows my mind. I am one seriously happy and seriously addicted girl albeit more effective at those said addictions. I am rejoicing at all the free-time I will once more have available... Maybe I will get back to some serious writing again!
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Inconsiderate and oblivious

What, exactly, is wrong with people? We were at a local restaurant a few weeks ago and what I observed is still bugging me. So here I am with more ranting and raving. Normally our beef is with the service or the food - why is it SO hard to find good service in the food SERVICE industry? This particular night, however, we had a fabulous waiter who was attentive without being at our table too often. No, the beef this night was with two workers - I think you call them hostesses? - who stood right behind our table performing the menial task of wrapping napkins around utensils. I get that it is a mindless type of duty but if you are standing adjacent to customers trying to eat would you really be as mindless as these two who stood there talking loudly and bothering multiple tables around them who could hear every word? A normal person would probably notice the annoyed stares from the patrons but these two were totally oblivious and carried on for 10 minutes. I wonder though, is it me who is just abnormal and this is what "normal" has become? More often than not the majority of people around me are inconsiderate and oblivious to their impact on others far outnumbering those who are considerate and observant. Is this a type of social evolution similar to where we think nothing of walking around with a telephone attached to our ear and carry on conversations inconsiderately imposing our chatter to others around us where without the technology it wouldn't be expected? I know I pay attention more lately to how my behaviour is impacting those around me - although is doesn't seem to be the normal thing to do. What a shame...