Hit The Ground Walking

Today I laced up my walking shoes and chose the most gorgeous February day to kick-start a 2 week trial-workout plan.  I've been painfully aware lately that my jeans are a little snugger around the middle and my favorite sweater dresses are packin' a little more heat in the booty department.  I've heard its normal to pack on a little bit of a love layer shortly after getting married but I always thought I was disciplined enough to be the kind of girl that continued taking care of myself regardless of the circumstances.  Sad to say, this hasn't been the case.

I started running in college.  I was a gym rat as a teen but wasn't brave enough to hit the track and treadmill until I found my comfort zone in UREC where I fell in love with the runner's high.  I don't claim to be fast or especially gifted in any way.  I've done a couple of races and earned some fun t-shirts, but I know I'm never going to be fast.  I've been pleased with myself for finishing a race running and shaving a little time off of my last race.  Tory lovingly picks on my awkward gait which I know is awful from the few times I've watched video footage of myself in a race.  I don't have a runner's body, my butt jiggles and my boobs practically need a straight jacket to be contained.  But I liked to run.  It was challenging and gave me a great adrenaline rush.  I also liked running because it seemed to be the great equalizer in athleticism.  Running is free.  It doesn't require expensive lessons or equipment.  You don't even need shoes, if you buy into that run free school-of-thought.  Anyone with a pair of legs and somewhere to go can hit the road and run.  Hell, you don't even need a pair of your own legs, the Army 10 miler taught me that.  You can run for miles on the road, in the trees, along the beach, the VA Beach Rock N Roll half marathon taught me that.  You can run in the sleet and snow with jingle bells on your shoelaces and finish behind black Jesus and cookies n milk, the Jingle All The Way 10k taught me that one.  Running is a no-charge, exhilirating, free, and simple way to keep yourself healthy, get some fresh air, relieve stress.

So I liked running,  Liked.  Past tense.  Somewhere inside myself I still think I like running.  But right now, running is the last thing I want to do.  I have such a strong distaste for running that in the last several months I have avoided exercise and the gym all together.  There were spurts where I tried using cardio equipment.  Then I tried just strength training.  Sometimes I counted walking the dog as my workout of the week.  Eventually, I just gave up.

Now, I'm ready to hit the road again.  But I think I'll hit the ground walking.  Today I started a short-term workout plan that I think I can stick to.  It's a 2-week walking and strength program to get me moving again.  I think I'd be ok running again.  I could lay down a few miles (surely much slower than usual), if I was motivated.  But I think I need to try something with staying-power and a goal that is easily within my reach to get me going again.  I think if I start running again right now, I'll end up finding any excuse under the sun to avoid the workout all together.  So I'm walking.

Check out my workout plan here and wish me luck.  I need to find my stride again.