Small Wins
#39: Celebrating my first non-stop 3 mile run.
37 min and 43 seconds.
That is the time it took me to run 3 miles at the local park today. It was the first time that I ran the distance without stopping for a break. OK running is an overstatement, I JOGGED the 3 miles. But I want to count it as RUNNING because I don’t like running and this took extra efforts. Running long distances makes my lungs burn and foot muscles scream in pain, and I don’t choose to run unless in situations where I risk missing my flight.
Today’s run was part of training for the triathlon that I have signed up for. It is a sprint triathlon where I have to first swim for 750 m, then cycle for 20 km, and finish with a 3 mile run. I feel comfortable finishing the swimming and the cycling legs of the triathlon, but the running section makes me rethink the day I signed up for this.
My running is so weak that for my first run training session 3 months ago, I did a 2 mile walk, and that took me 40 minutes. I tried jogging that day but my lungs would start burning immediately and I had to stop to catch my breath. So running 3 miles today without stopping feels like an accomplishment for me. It is about celebrating the small wins in the bigger journey of training for the triathlon.
The 2 things that are helping me overcome my dislike for running.
Running Shoes: My first run 3 months ago was in basic Nike shoes. My foot started to hurt as soon as I started the run. All my focus was on what muscles in my foot is hurting. After, consulting a few runner friends and researching the internet, I grabbed a pair of Hoka Clifton 9. It changed running for me.
These shoes fit the shape of my foot and provides ample support. I don’t feel the surface of the treadmill or the concrete trail because of the soft cushions. My foot doesn’t hurt anymore and I can focus on my breathing and my running pace.
Running buddies: When running longer distance, there are moments in the run where I feel like I should just stop and start walking. But then I see my buddies running with me and I able to bounce off of their motivation to keep going.
The 2 things I am trying to improve next.
Heart Rate: My heart rate touches 180 bpm as soon as I start to jog. Even today, I was in Zone 5 heart rate for 26 minutes of the run maxing out at 200 bpm. The internet research tells me that runs should be in Zone 2 between 140 and 160 bpm to avoid running at high intensity.
Distance: Today 3 miles feels like the ceiling of my running ability. When my apple watch beeps at the 3 mile marker, a sense of relief washes over me that I don’t have to run anymore. I don’t want to accept the fact that I can only run 3 miles. I need to train for longer distances.
At times, it is a bit frustrating that I cannot run as good as I would like to, but this is the exact situation I was in when I was learning to snowboard. I went from a painful day 1 to zipping the trails in Vermont. It made me realise that snowboarding journey was dotted with small wins along the way. Similarly, this 3 month running journey of walking 2 miles in 40 mins to jogging 3 miles in 40 min is a step in the right direction. I am far from the end but I need to celebrate each small win as a stepping stone to progress.
