Today is a very special day for me, not because it’s my birthday, (which it actually is), but because after several failed attempts, I have finally made it to week 7 of the Couch to 5k training program I’ve been using. I’ve still got two more weeks in the program, but this is the farthest I’ve ever managed to make it. So, to celebrate my birthday, I decided to do something that I once believed impossible: I went for a solid 25 minute jog.
I know that to those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile this doesn’t sound like anything new, but it is. I’ve been doing interval training on and off for about the last year, but until this point, my longest, no break jogging streak was about 20 minutes. An additional 5 minutes doesn’t sound like anything impressive, but believe me, it can feel like an eternity.
I admit, I am slow jogger. My pace seems so slow that I hate calling myself a “runner”, because it feels like a lie. At this point, I consider a good “run” if manage a 13 minute mile. Speed, to me, is not important. Yes, I could probably run an 11 minute mile, but that’s as far as I would get. If I slow down and pace myself, I can go so much farther. I would rather slow down and power walk 5 miles than kill myself running 1. Maybe this isn’t the best tactic for a zombie apocalypse, but I’m not worrying about that right now. Eventually, I’ll start pushing for more speed, but for now, endurance is my focus.
Why endurance? Because I need it to be able to push through the bad days. When I’m running at my slow pace, I’m not just training my body, I’m training my mind as well. It takes a lot of effort for me to hold back and conserve my energy for a long run. It only took me about 30 years, but I am finally learning self control and patience, which I am able to use in other aspects of my life.
If it really is all about the journey, I’d rather take the slower route. Here’s to another year of fighting!
Fighting Fibro with Fire 