marathonmummy

If this the runner’s high, I think it should probably be a class A drug! Just done the BEST run ever on the treadmill.

Started with a five minute gentle jog, then I did run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute for almost an hour on 1% incline, finishing with a couple of minutes run on a 5% incline. It was amazing. I’ve been reading about running styles and I had a feeling that if I could get out of the heelstriking habit I’d be able to solve the whole pain in the shins, legs giving up before I ran out of breath problem.

I ran the whole thing landing on my forefoot, and I felt a million times lighter, which isn’t bad going for someone who is about as far from a runner in physique as it’s possible to be. I’ve noticed before when Jessica runs she sort of floats along (Jessica is now going to comment and say something disparaging about herself, I predict) and I think that’s partly down to the fact that she is a forefoot runner. Oh, and partly down to the fact that she probably weighs about half what I do.
This is all a bit inarticulate because I’m so excited about how easy it was tonight compared to any other run, and because it was so good I want to bounce up and down squeaking with glee. That doesn’t translate very well to the written word though, so just imagine it.

Today I’m having a rest day. How nice that I can make lying about doing nothing sound important. I will, however, be reading lots of stuff about marathons, and looking at race calendars to work out a schedule for the next year.

Good news: I feel thinner already. Struggling in from Costco with a bag of dog food that weighs 15kg, I realised I’m carrying nearly two of them in excess weight. I’m hoping that running will get easier as I lose some dogfood weight. Fitter, thinner and with a healthy heart – yay running.

My skin is brighter, I am feeling full of happy thoughts and I have lots of energy. I’m sure all the healthy food I’m eating, and the gallons of water I’m drinking will be helping, but I think running is good for mind and body. This study agrees with me, comparing runners with people who meditate. I can understand that; when I was running at university, I found the mindlessness of running would act like a kaleidoscope, shaking my thoughts and re-ordering them so when I came home even Ulysses made sense. (Well, almost.)