The Painful Runs

I did a two mile run this past weekend. It was very painful, but I finished under 20 minutes, so I can't complain--I didn't run in almost four months.

My friend and I have a serious competition going, and the past I never failed to be a little bit more motivated than I was this time. It was also the first time that my friend beat me. We did about eight runs in the past, so I still have bragging rights, in a way.

I now know that overconfidence is very painful. My bedroom is on the second floor. Monday morning was very painful for me, and I had to walk down the stairs sideways so that I wouldn't tumble down them. My legs were so tight and sore that I spent a lot of time thinking about why I was so foolish and didn't try to get a few runs in before Saturday's run.

I am a fan of history, and I believed that since I used to crush my friend, well, this time would just beat him by a little. I really should have listened to him when he said that he was running about twice a week. Sure, he was running on a treadmill, but he was still running. I should have listened to my wife when she said I should go for a run. I should have listened to my little voice telling me I needed to go running.

It isn't easy to lose, but I didn't train because I was too confident. It is a lesson that at my age I should know is a painful lesson. I know how my body responds to training runs and adding extra miles. I know how my body responds to adding some speed training, my body isn't a fan. I also know that over the last couple years I haven't run as much and so I added a few extra pounds. Weight I lost years ago, but sadly put back on over the past two years.

Weight gains were the reason I took up running. Racing against my friend gave us both a little extra motivation to run more than would have done on our own. The weight gains have also slowed me down to the point that I am running at speeds that I ran when I first started running.

This week I started running on the treadmill, and I have run 1.5 miles everyday, because this is about as far as I can run without feeling really winded.

I do realize that running on a treadmill isn't the same as running outside, but I do run at 1.5% incline to help take away some of the advantages of running on a treadmill. The treadmill is nice for trying to get back in shape because it isn't as hard on the legs like running on the road.

I have a treadmill and wasn't using it. I know that is sad, but I wonder how many people have treadmills and don't use it. I also have a trainer for my bike and hardly use it. I have the equipment to help me stay in shape, but it is just a matter of using it.

The point I am trying to make is that a person can find a lot of reasons for not doing something, but the truth is that even a doing a little bit will help you avoid the real painful outcomes in the end.