I did it. I managed to go for a run outside instead of heading to the gym and the treadmill. I wasn't sure how cold it would be and I'm always nervous about running before I start. The cold wasn't too bad and I'm sure I'll acclimatise. I was very comfortable in what I was wearing once I'd warmed up, which seemed to take about 10 minutes.
The nervousness before I run is something I'm battling. I think that I'm fighting against the old mental picture I have of myself, which is of the overweight, unfit woman who couldn't run across the road without becoming physically distressed. Even though I'm not that person any more my mind needs time to catch up.
I have had the same sort of problem realising that I am now a "fairly normal" size. I sometimes catch myself walking around obstacles instead of between them because I wouldn't have fit in the space a couple of years ago. In classes at the gym, I am starting to see that I'm not the biggest person in the room, so I am learning to love the mirrors.
Talking about mirrors, I remember that once I was looking at a house with my sister and sister-in-law. We were thinking of renting it. One of the rooms had a number of mirror tiles scattered on one wall. The girls thought the effect was awful. Me, I truly didn't see them. I was so used to avoiding catching site of myself in a mirror that I automatically looked away.
Back to the run. It was terrific. I was comfortable from the moment I started running. I headed off down to the bike path, and went left instead of right, because the lighting was better. I thought I'd end up at the lake, but I must have taken a wrong turn. I found myself at the university. I wandered around the campus a little then headed home. All up, I ran for 30 minutes without stopping, and I was well within myself the whole way. I felt great.
This evening, I headed off to trivia without having to dash into the gym for my 25 points. It seemed so much more relaxed. I had to be careful with my food intake today though, as my activity level was going to be lower than usual. I'm really pleased with myself, because I managed to hit my calorie target spot on and have ice cream for dessert.
Thanks for all the comments. It's great to get them. I'll catch up on my blog reading soon. I'm busy job hunting at the moment, so I've been dutifully responding to selection criteria.
By the way, it's great to see Andrew and Sara in Runner's World. You both look terrific. And I have fame by association!!
5 comments:
I hope you enjoy more of the outside runs, I find them so much more inspiring than the dreadmill.
Good luck with the job hunt.
You are always so busy! I have to be psyched up to run inside- I get intimidated by the other runners at the gym so I prefer to run outside- though you are right about the cold.
So glad you decided to venture outside, I hope you come to love it as much as I do. I find treadmill running really boring now!
I was so glad to hear you'd decided to run outside! :) I feel for all of you who don't have the beautiful brissie weather! I complain about the cold here, I think if I lived in Canberra I'd be in bed all day!!
I'm so glad you had a good run.
Yay, glad you had a run.
I suffer from former chubby girl syndrome too. I still bring the wrong sized clothes into the change room and can be found gazing transfixed at my reflection in shop windows wondering who they heck that skinny chick is. Possibly could be mistaken for vanity, but it is just disbelief.
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