Back to Running

I've been on a running hiatus for about 4 months now. My attempts to run have been continually foiled, and I just didn't have quite enough motivation to work out a solution. First it was just too hot, I got really dizzy despite drinking water all day before a run. I was working full time at the coffee shop, which means going to bed around 9 and getting up around 5, so I couldn't run at night after it had cooled off a bit and although I could have, I sure as hell wasn't going to get up at 4am to go on a run. I took 3 weeks off work around my wedding, so I was pumped to run at night during those three weeks, since I wouldn't have to get up early, but we were struck with a major heat wave and it didn't cool off at night.

I accepted that I wasn't going to be running during the summer and was anxiously awaiting my semester to start when the temperature would go down and I could run at night if necessary. The temperature did indeed cool significantly during the first week of classes, but I got hit with a nasty chest cold. AARRRGH! And I've had the damn thing for over 2 weeks at this point. WHY CAN'T I RUN???

Well, my cold is finally clearing up, and though I'm still coughing a lot, I decided that I wasn't going to wait any more. I set out on my first run in forever today, not knowing what to expect. When last I ran, I was comfortably running 2 miles (20 minutes) and was closing in on my next goal of running non stop for 30 minutes. This from the girl who couldn't run 30 seconds without a walking break in January. I wasn't sure that I would even be able to do a mile this time, just because of how long it's been. Thankfully, I was able to do the mile, and it wasn't bad! I didn't feel at all uncomfortable until about the 3/4 mile mark, when I thought, "Huh. I really wish THIS was a mile." But I kept going and made it to the mile. I thought about going farther, but my cough was really starting to act up, so I took a walking break. I alternated jogging and walking for about 1/4 of a mile, then I ran the last 1/4 mile home. I planned on stopping then, obviously, but I spotted Dan on his way back home from his run (he found out which route I was taking and took off in the opposite direction because he's a total snob and I don't run fast enough for him! HOW RUDE!) so I ran over to him and we finished up together. I then pretended to do stretches while he did serious stretches and push-ups and crunches.

I'm really happy that I got back out there, because I was feeling a little anxious that I would seriously suck. I did better then I thought I would, and now my expectations of myself are higher so I'm pretty confident that I'll be back to where I was in a couple of weeks.