Why Working Out Matters & A Pledge Part Two

Part of my pledge was fulfilled.   Not only did I accomplish working out for 15 minutes a day for 30 days, I did it for 60!  There was definitely visible results.  The weather warmed up and I took my exercise habit outside.  That has been even more successful. 

I've had a rough year.  You see my step father passed away this spring.  He was suffering from a variety of conditions for years but was diagnosed with cancer in March.  The cancer was aggressive and he died only three weeks later.  I traveled to my mother's home and spent a good deal of time with her. My saving grace was running.  I had added a couch25K app on my phone in October of 2012 but was having a difficult time using it mostly because of feelings of being overwhelmed with two children to care for and feeling like there was no time for myself.  It was more like I was not giving any time to myself.  But when the pressure of death or at least dealing with it came knocking in March and April, I opened the Couch25K app again and set to work.  During the three weeks I stayed with my mom I was very consistent. But . . .

I. was. so. slow. . .
At first.
 
I did what the app said.  I ran when it told me to.  And I gladly walked when I was told.
It was hard.  Thank God I had kept the app on my phone.  There I was in April stressing and with a commitment to work out as well as a good memory reminding me that working out feels good. My mother was glad to watch the boys.

In the end, running as well as my desire to free myself of stress, sadness, and fatigue took me all the way through the spring into early summer and a second tragic family loss of a dear uncle who also lost his life to cancer in July.  It was sad friends.  Just sad.

I didn't even notice when I finished up the 12 week program until after a run one day in July.  It was a run 28 minutes long and over 3 miles.  Since then I stopped using Couch25K and switched over to the runkeeper app. Now I run for about 30-40 min.  And it feels AWESOME.

My pledge now is to stick with the running.  More importantly my pledge to myself is to remember how pushing hard during the run will pay off in ease of stress when I finish and even last for a day or two.  I can't run every day.  My two boys, husband and house and food prep and laundry and errands etc. . . . take so much time.  I am very okay with that.

I also I learned that I know that I don't want to run with my kids!  I REALLY don't want that.  I would still love some adult lady friends to run with and I am still working those details out.  {More on both of those points in the future.}

Right now running is just for me.  That That's what it has to be.  That is how I like it.  And that is how it is special and personal and a gift for me.