March 4th.
Day 0.1, Running.
Yesterday proved to be more stressful than anticipated so I decided to go outside for sunshine, exercise and play!
I had been using a treadmill for a few weeks, walking at a brisk pace in hopes of using it as a stepping stone to begin running again.
I hadn’t done so since my spine surgery, and the mind rust and body fat were evidence confirming it. I could hear my surgeons words of warning in my mind, But I needed to feel freedom.
Fifty ticks due west of Chitown, we enjoyed 70-degree brightness with high pretty winds. I averaged four to seven miles on the tread daily and thought I was up for the task.
Reality welcomed me with a healthy B-slap, informing me otherwise. I had broken a cardinal rule on the tread, taking short steps.
My streets are a combination of uphill and downhill with little flat areas. Another No No I mastered was not changing the pitch of the mill. So I enjoyed a two-for-one out there in dreamland.
I was awkward and felt like I was made of stone, taking me nearly four miles just for the muscles and tendons to warm up so they didn’t mimic over tightened clock spring and worn banjo strings.
Yes, I made the trifecta by not stretching first. Bad boy, bad boy, whatca gonna do? My first parole outdoors, and I had broken every important guideline before my first step. I was hungry to be in the wind, and not thinking of best practice.
Fortunately, I didn’t hurt myself or toss in the towel before getting started.
I ran if you could call it that, a block before finding my senses and realizing I would need to relearn walking before running again.
Doing six miles, my lucky neighbors watch me play the part of a toddler. Round and round. Until I take strides of a proper length again.
I’m growing up so fast. I may try tackling elegant use of the silverware for dinner tonight.
I love running, so while my first day out was a tank, I do plan to continue trying. Once I’ve mastered walking again that is.
I now realize substituting one stress load in place of another, may not be the best overall methodology. Since I’m hip-deep in the need to run again, as well as invested deeply in another life requirement. I’ll just have to learn to cope while I stumble through both.
If you enjoy watching someone trip over themselves you may want to stop back to check on my progress. Or what room I may have been placed in hospital-bound should things go sideways.
I may never do marathons again, but I should look pretty snappy walking along. And who really knows, perhaps I will. Stay tuned for more adventures of a madman on a mission. Coming to a movie theater near you soon.
Don’t count me out yet, I may just surprise you as well as myself.
