Tuesday 8 February 2011

Running against the wind


It’s Tuesday Fit-Day.  A weekly meditation on fitness goals, successes and failures.  Thinking about it once a week is a step toward making it a part of everyday.

Did it again and again.  Three times now.  WooHoo!! 
It wasn’t easy.  While the temperature is rising here in London town, the wind is as well.  I have also starting running in the morning and the traffic is getting annoying.  Walking and Driving.  I hit the school/end of rush hour.  I was dodging kids and backpacks and had to stop at every crossing.  No matter how obscure or how much rust was on the parking lot barrier.  And then there was the wind.  Oh the wind.  Let’s just say it was quite gusty.  So gusty in fact that I was expecting a flying cow, knitting grannie and a boat of gleeful fishermen to make an appearance.  The last 2/3 of the run is always the time I want to lie down and cry.  The only thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that my body would never be found amidst all the junk along the side of the road.  The wind was killer strong.  My snot was flying horizontally out of my nose and the iphone earbud cord was also on that trajectory.  There were moments when I knew my legs were moving forward but I was definitely not.  I don’t run very fast.  In fact, it may not qualify as running as I could probably walk faster.  These moments brought a verbal ‘Come on!’ as in ‘are you kidding me with this wind?’ 
This is not the first time in my athletic history that I have been pumping away and not going anywhere.  (yes, this is a tangent, just go with it)  When I was a kid I played softball.  No, really for at least three summers.  Okay, I stood out in right field and tried to look athletic, but I still had to participate in batting.  When I did make contact with the ball I would haul-ass to first base.  Or at least it felt like I was hauling ass.  Apparently, according to spectators, I was putting a lot of energy into looking like a running cartoon character.  You know, when the legs are kicking up quite a dust cloud but the background hasn’t actually moved?  That was me.  That is still me.  I wondered why that cement truck was just sitting there after the traffic started moving.  Maybe he’s never seen a live action stationary-dust-cloud-runner before. 

This was a hard Weight Watchers week.  I couldn’t get enough food.  I just wanted to keep eating and eating.  There was a lot of activity this week, but only a half pound of weight loss.  I think my body is freaking out.  We haven’t been this skinny for about five years and it is desperately clinging to its comfort layer.  At least that’s what I think.  Pete thinks I am gaining muscle as well as losing so the scales may not be accurate.  Isn’t he just the best?  Always the optimist! 
This week felt like I wasn’t really getting anywhere, but one foot in front of the other, and despite the wind, I got there.  (I even got some ‘work’ done as well.)

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