Would you consider letting me run your race indoors?
Anyway, my daughter, who’s also running the race, thought today would be a good day to practice running outside. I figured she was right – the race is going to be outside and we should see how we do in the great outdoors. The answer: not well. First of all, it’s chilly at 7:30 in the morning. My ears got really cold and even now, 30 minutes later are only beginning to thaw. But that wasn’t the worst part. The worst: the cold in the lungs.
We’d only been jogging two minutes when I realized I wasn’t breathing. It hurt too much to inhale. I don’t know about you, but breathing’s pretty important to me. But because Amy and I agreed to run to a particular point and because someone told me running is 95% mental, I pushed on. I now believe I have suffered jogging-induced brain damage because before I started jogging if I couldn’t breathe I’d stop what I was doing and figure out why. But not now – no, I just kept going to our appointed walk point. When I reached it I announced loudly enough for passengers in passing cars to hear, “I CAN NOT BREATHE!”
Your race is scheduled to begin at 8 in the morning. It is two weeks away. I don’t imagine the Michigan weather is going to miraculously warm up in those two weeks. And I don’t think I’m going to be able to learn to jog without breathing in those two weeks (or, frankly, ever), so I need you to let me run indoors. I’ll bring a signed something from the lady at the Y – she runs marathons and, when I told her I was going to run a 5K said, “Well, that’s awfully ambitious of you.” Nothing like a little encouragement… But I digress.
If you could tell me where I need to send my, “I ran a 5K indoors” form, I’ll get right on that. And you can have my t-shirt waiting for me when I come to cheer on my friends who are more brain-damaged than I am, which I know because they are running the 10K.
Sincerely,
Christy
I needed this laugh SOOO badly today, thanks friend!! Oh how I remember the burning lungs from cross country days....some of our races were even in the snow! It hurts and will hurt for awhile even after you stop. :) Oh, and don't worry, I am laughing WITH you...right? ;)
ReplyDeleteTraci - Why would I ever continue this if you're telling me you ran cross country and your lungs burned, too? I really am questioning all runners' judgment at this moment. Oh, and I'm sure you're laughing *with* me. You are, aren't you?
ReplyDeleteOf course I am laughing with you! And why do you think I don't run anymore?? ;)
ReplyDeleteI laughed out loud at this entry -- as I sat inside at my desk. Hang in there. You can do it. Just don't listen to Amy tomorrow (unless it's actually warm.) : )
ReplyDeleteOkay. Take a deep breath. You can do this. You are a steel magnolia! You're a Georgia peach! You are the reason that Rhett would have, without doubt, given a damn!
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud of you-- and I have great confidence that you will make it across that finish line with style, grace, and the ability to exhale.
Go, Christy! Go!
I love you so much!!! You crack me up all the time and you are beating the mental part of running whether you want to or not! I am angry at that Y lady for you! You will do the race and will be unbelievably proud of your self for it!! If you haven't yet, that day you will feel the runners high!
ReplyDeleteYou can do it, Mrs. Duffy!!!!! :D
ReplyDeleteRunning in the cold is definitely the worst! But you can do it!
ReplyDeleteAre you wearing a hat or ear coverings while you run? That always helped me out, plus some 80% of body heat is lost through the head. Also, it may be uncomfortable, but having a scarf or some cloth covering your mouth and nose(they have specially made running hoods like this) can help create a "warm air buffer". It's always been too uncomfortable for me to do, but then again I don't like this even on the windiest of days of Michigan winters.
Stick with it!
Thanks for the laugh!!
ReplyDeleteHas anyone told you yet that you don't have to actually "run"? I don't think I have ever actually ran even one mile in a row! Walking is much easier on your knees, and all other parts of the body! You can walk all three miles, and get the t-shirt, and feel good the following day. I enjoy exercise, but don't push it too hard! If you have the good shoes, and the advil, your next investment should be a heart rate monitor. If I run up a hill, it will beep at me to say "slow down! You are working too hard!" It is also set to beep at me when my heart rate is too low, as in "Pick up the pace! You're not working hard enough!"
I know you can do this! No backing out now!!! Tracey
Oh, Christy, I am so with you on this one. When you've completed the race, I highly recommend that you take up racquetball -- which is played indoors and allows enough stops during the game that your lungs don't burn.
ReplyDeleteGo Mrs. Duffy! :D
ReplyDeleteI am totally with you on running outside... WAY harder than running on a treadmill, especially when it's cold or really hot. I have a neighbor family that runs daily outside in the winter. IN THE WINTER. I just stand there in amazement and watch them going by, wondering about their sanity.
Anyways, keep it up! Hopefully Michigan warms up a little for your race! :)
Christy, you can do it, I KNOW you can! Meanwhile, go laugh pretty hard at my friend's first 5K documentation - a play-by-play, I've never laughed so hard at a blog post ever. And I'm still trying to run this stupid thing, too! lol... love you!
ReplyDeletehttp://banjosrule.com/blog/can-i-play-banjo-without-my-spleen/
Okay, I have the most encouraging readers! Thanks for all the kind words and great tips. I am motivated to continue! Stay tuned for more updates as the race draws nigh.
ReplyDeleteHere's the way I look at it and rationalize it...how long do you think it's going to take you? 40 minutes? Okay then, it's 40 minutes of your whole entire life and then it's done! You'll recover, be proud of yourself and have that runner's high for the rest of the day, probably weekend. So 40 minutes of your entire life...it can't be that bad, right???
ReplyDelete