I used to hate walking during a run. I was trained to consider it weak, a failure, something to avoid at all costs. Run slow if you have to, but never walk. This was especially true in the Marines. You ran, you did not run. I was a fairly good runner, so it was OK for me. This all changed when I began managing at The Running Room. If you are unfamiliar with this store, I'll enlighten you. It's Canadian, with a few stores here in Minnesota and the outlining states. They pride themselves on talking anyone, in any shape, and offering them a class to learn to run. The founder apparently transformed him life by alternating running and walking, lamp post to lamp post in the night, so no one would see him. So, this is the way I learned to train people to run. Run for a minute, walk for a minute, repeat ad hock. Each week, add a minute of running, until eventually you are doing 10:1's. Ten minutes of running, one minute of walking. For two years while I was struggling with a new annoyance, asthma, this is how I got back into running.
Resolved: Walking is exercise.
So now when I go out I usually have a few walking breaks in the middle. I don't regulate it like I used to do. I just walk whenever my body says no for the third time. You see, if you walk every-time your body says no, you'll be walking a lot. But, if you push through that until your body says no again, then push through that, then you can walk the next time. It generally has me walking about every 12 minutes or so I think. though this is highly dependent on the day and location. The day is solely how I feel on that day. Everyone has those days where you just seem to be dragging. Some days ten minutes will feel like 2 minutes, other days it will feel like 2 hours. It's the second part though, the location I want to talk about today.
I did not go for a run this morning. I know! Only 4 days in and he's failed! But, hear me out. It was fracken cold, like 51 degrees this morning. I didn't feel like freezing. As such, I resolved to run at lunch. There is a nice lake around my work so I thought that would do. I set out and the first 10+ minutes went well. Then came by body yelling at me for the third time that it was time for a walk. But, it was nice this afternoon, like almost 80, so there were a ton of people out. I can't walk in front of people! It will look weak, like I'm a failure. Never mind that they are all out walking, not running, never mind that they don't know me, never mind I may never see them again, I'll look weak! What to do? My body demanded I stop for a breather, my pride insisted I can not. Is this even an healthy attitude to have?
Resolved: Walking is NOT failure.
Seriously, look at every single sport played. Soccer, lots of walking, football, lots of walking and stopping, baseball, lots of walking, basketball, plenty of walking, tennis, a good amount of resting. So, why is it I tell myself I can't walk in running? It's such an odd paradox that I consider myself successful at most of these other sports, yet spend a good chunk of time, walking in them. So what did I do, I did pushed on until the people had passed me, then walked a little. Of course my walk was shorter then usual as more people came creeping around the corner, more so as they were girls! I can't let a girl see me walk! ugh.
Resolved: Walking is NOT failure.
I'll need to repeat this a lot over the next few months in order to get it to sink in. But, I think once I can embrace it, I'll be better at not only judging my own level of success, but of the world as a whole. Thanks for reading.
Until next time, trying to be honest with myself and the world.
Lunch Run!
Out: 11:46, In: 12:17
Distance: 2.72 miles
Walking breaks: 2 (kind of), Inhaler use: 3
Song List:
Green Day: Restless Heart Syndrome
Jay-Z: Run This Town
Michael Franti: Say Hey
Green Day: See the Light
Tal Bachman: She's so High
Green Day: Static Age
Soft Cell: Tainted Love (Did NOT work as a running song.)
Kesha: Tik Tok
Green Day: Viva La Gloria (Worked really great as a cool down song)
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