At the risk of alienating my poor Facebook friends and family who are not runners, blogging is probably a better alternative for recording my pitiful running endeavors. By blogging instead of updating my Facebook status, only those who wish to see the information need see it.
By way of history, I took up walking in March 2010, walking 2 miles per day on a cheap (read "free") indoor treadmill which was set to a permanent incline of 10%. I walked while watching TV after work and acquired a taste for several hinky TV series in the process.
Walking became necessary because, as a medical transcriptionist, I sit for 8-10 hours a day, sometimes as much as 12 hours per day during busy times. Suffice to say, after 3 years of sitting all day every day, my body began to retaliate. I developed joint swelling and stiffness in my legs and ankles. Even though I was not overweight, I felt "yucky" and continued to have joint swelling and pain throughout the winter.
After realizing I had also gained 10 pounds over the course of my transcription career, I thought it might be time for a lifestyle change, if only minimal. A fellow transcriptionist recommended Sparkpeople.com as a beginner's diet and exercise guide. Now for an embarrassing bit. The first day I tracked my nutritional intake, I consumed 3200 calories. I actually thought I was being somewhat careful, knowing all my calories and fat would be tallied at the end of the day.
The rest, as they say, is history. I lost 30 pounds through diet changes and walking over 6 months, and my wardrobe has been 2 times too large since. I went from a size 12 to a size 6, and I have maintained my healthier lifestyle, since. I am happier and healthier!
I decided to take up running in the fall of 2010, but the cold weather eventually got the best of me a couple of weeks into training for the Hobble Then Gobble 5-mile race. I eventually ran my first 5K in June 2011. I have run three 5K races, to date, and I hope to run a half marathon over the next few months.
On the subject of Bad Running, I pick up what information I can from the internet and buddies, but I don't always know the "right" questions to ask...or actually what the heck I'm talking about at all. There's a lot of guess work and hindsight involved in this process, for me!
It's true that walking and running are time-consuming, but it's also true that you don't much mind the time-consumption factor during and after most of your walk/run. It's fun! It feels good! You eventually find a way to work the "feel good" into your schedule and encourage your family and friends to do the same as a way of condensing activities (family time in front of the TV = running/walking time a day or 2 a week).
Please feel free to offer constructive criticism, advice, or other comments. I plan to use this blog as something of a running diary, and perhaps my friends and family can use this as a guide if and when they decide to take up the hobbies of walking and running.
Thank you for reading! :)
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