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Have you ever exhausted your body for enjoyment? Why, why would we do this? People do it everyday. I decided to join those delusional individuals.
I used to be pretty athletic. I played volleyball and basketball in high school. I was always quick - a good sprinter. I was never too fond of distance running. I always groaned when the P.E. teacher told us we had to run four laps for time. Ugh...why? Why would I voluntarily run till my lungs burned and my legs felt like lead just to receive some numbers that I won't remember, but I will be encouraged to beat the next time we run four laps?
I used to jog with my dad. You know, to spend time with him, to talk with him. I think we walked much more than he would have preferred. But he did it. For me. What love!
Three months ago I weighed the most I have ever weighed in my life. I was still under 150 pounds but not by much. For someone who is 5'4," I was overweight. My clothes weren't fitting like they used to, I was always tired and I NEEDED a change. I NEEDED to feel better about myself. Health wise, I wasn't healthy. Did I eat out a lot? No. Did I eat a lot of ice cream? No. Did I eat a lot of sugar? Yes. Did I eat a lot of processed foods? Yes. Did I drink enough water? Nope, not even close.
A friend of mine from church, knew I had a 24 Hour membership - I think because I was complaining about how I needed to go but I was "oh so tired." She eventually asked if I wanted to work out with her since she too was trying to get more fit. I was so excited! Someone to keep me accountable was what I needed.
We started meeting each other at the gym, roughly three days a week. After a month of meeting at the gym I was still so tired. I blamed it on work. That work was "emotionally draining," which it was and still is, but that wasn't it, not entirely. I did lose a couple pounds and was feeling stronger but it wasn't enough for me.
One day I got a Groupon email about a boot camp and sent it to my friend asking her if she wanted to try it with me. We both bought it and drove entirely too far, in rush hour, to attend boot camp sessions at Booty Boot Camp. These sessions were great! Cardio mixed with strength training for 45 minutes - talk about exhausting, but liberating at the same time! The trainers were fantastic and the other women in attendance were encouraging and supportive. Those boot camp sessions kick started my new, healthier, lifestyle. I met with the owner for a one-on-one consultation half way through my sessions and she really encouraged me to look at my food intake. What was I really eating? I told her some different meals I had prepared, what my go-to snacks were, etc. Very bluntly she told me that I was eating too many processed foods. While yes, they aren't "bad," they aren't necessarily all that good for me either.
I took that conversation to heart, had a great chat with my hubby and we decided to make some changes. Many of the changes were small changes, there were a few that were pretty substantial to us, but worth it.
In three months I have lost nine pounds. Now that is not too much considering it is only three pounds a month but like I said, I am not a big girl, I just wasn't satisfied with my health. I didn't feel or look healthy and that needed to change. Now am I healthy? I am healthier and that is an improvement that I will not belittle.
What does all this have to do with jogging?
During the boot camp sessions I would get winded pretty quickly and that is no bueno (excuse my Spanglish). There was a bittersweet feeling in the air. Yes, I was working out and enjoying it but, sheesh! Seven, eight, years ago all of those jumping jacks, high knees, squats, lunges and sprints would have been no problem. And now, now I was catching glimpses of death! A bit overly-dramatic, I know, but I was beat - emotionally and physically. As I was remembering the "glory days" of high school, as far as athletics go, my mind drifted back to all the running involved in basketball and how I was in such great shape during basketball season.
I decided to stop fighting it. I stepped outside, in sunny California, and began to jog around the apartment complex. Great view. I know. I could barely make one lap. Embarrassing. I was so frustrated with myself and so discouraged. I walked the next lap. I tried to alternate laps, jog one, walk one, jog one, walk one. I wouldn't always be able to jog an entire lap without walking but I made a true and just effort all the same.
I wasn't so sure I wanted to know the distance of one lap, one in which I couldn't complete without huffing and puffing. Too bad. I decided to face the music. I jumped in the car and was back to my parking stall after .03 of a mile.
Okay, so almost three laps make a mile. Not too bad. I could visualize myself doing that. After a while I decided to step it up a bit. Jog two laps, walk one lap. I DID IT! Yippee!
Eventually I got to the point where I could jog four laps, which, if my math is correct is 1.2 miles. Over a mile! Are you kidding? Without walking? YES! I was so excited I kept jogging 1.2 miles as my jogging routine. I had no desire to go any further, I was comfortable and I was improving my time. Who knew those pesky numbers would mean something after all? I began competing with myself again and it felt good. I never thought I would enjoy jogging. Ever.
Now I wasn't jogging everyday. I was also going to the gym, mostly hanging out on an elliptical. I started doing 15 minutes. Not a whole heck of a lot but something. Eventually my husband started getting back into the gym (he blames his lack of activity on college) after his spring semester ended. He has fantastic endurance. He would hop up on the elliptical and go for 30 minutes. Well I can't NOT do 30 minutes if he is doing 30 minutes. Which, if you time it right, you can watch an entire episode of The High Low Project, or some other episode on HGTV or whatever tickles your fancy. So I pushed myself - I was doing 30 minutes, which eventually led to 40. My heart and lungs were getting stronger and my stamina for cardiovascular exercise was improving.
Well I am proud to say that today, June 23rd, 2012 I jogged seven laps around the apartment complex without stopping. Nice view. I know (not really, not at all). That's right, 2.1 miles. Who would have thought? Certainly not me; not me by a long shot. And guess what? I liked it.
Yes, I joined the Delusional Jogger's Club.
