Finally...back at it

Sunday, May 9, 2010


I had now been off for two solid days and it was making me nuts. It was Mother’s Day and fitting in a run would be tricky, at best. Couldn’t do it in the morning – that was church time. Family was arriving right after church to begin the day’s activities and I kind of had to be there for that. I was thinking if I could get them out of the house by 6 p.m. or so, I’d have enough day light remaining for a long run. It wasn’t much, but that was the plan.

I did get in some activity before they arrived – washing the floor, washing windows, sweeping the front and back porch – that kind of stuff, but again – it ain’t running. I knew I’d be piling on some major calories in short order and I just had to get that run in later.

My father-in-law was making chicken paprikash, which is basically a food that closes your arteries if you’re in the same room with it. And…I love it. I had a couple of helpings and three chicken thighs. I was done eating by 4 p.m., having skipped the chocolate cake, but the way it was sitting in my gut, I knew I had at least a 3-hour wait to run. I was still feeling pretty full when everyone did leave about 6:30 p.m., but daylight was burning so I changed into the running gear and headed for the park.

I knew the first mile would be painful with a digestive system lodged with fat that sloshed around with every step…and it was. This was perfect running weather, too. Cool and sunny and I was coming off two days rest…pr weather. I’d puke for sure if I did something as foolish as trying to run fast – so I kept it easy for 20 minutes. I had resigned myself to a 30-minute run with the promise that I’d go long tomorrow, for sure. As the gut started to settle though, I stretched it to 40 minutes with ease and finished feeling fresh and wishing I had time for another hour of running.

Life gets in the way of the workout from time to time and my weekend was all about that. Before beginning this blog, it would have totally thrown me for a loop and I would never have run on Sunday, figuring I’d already missed a couple of days so what’s the harm in one more?

That’s the difference. I’m in the groove and I have people to whom I’m responsible – whoever you are that are reading. Thanks, by the way. Keep me going because I really am loving the way that I feel.

Run duration: 40 minutes.

Training Heart Rate: 140.

Calories burned during workout: 675.