It's never easy being a farmer's wife, but we're in the season where my husband is working very long hours and I am left to tend to the three children alone. This leaves little time for running, but I still make time. I just find it hard to make enough time to improve my speed, distance, etc.
One of my inspirational Facebook pages, Cool Running, posted this story yesterday. It really adjusted my attitude!
What is your ideal racing weight?
One quote I particularly appreciated about the article is this: "One study on the effects of weight on running performance found that the addition of 5 pounds of weight to the body reduced running performance in a 12-minute time trial by 5 percent."
FIVE PERCENT?!? Seriously?
I can't expect myself to be at the same level as many of my friends, who are not overweight. (and not even close.) The facts are the facts: I am still toning my body down from the size it was just a few months ago. According to my BMI, I am in the category of obese. Obese! I've come a long way, but I still have a long road ahead of me, too.
It's hard when my running buddy is a college student who hasn't started her family, and many of my inspirational friends do not have issues with their weight or husbands that work from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Actually, the women I am on this journey with are rock stars. I envy them and at the same time I look to them for inspiration.
I don't want to make excuses for myself, and I haven't so far, but I am glad to know there is a reason I am slow and that each pound I lose will help my speed. It's very deceiving how shows (Biggest Loser for one) make it look like someone can lose a few pounds and suddenly they are a marathoner. It is just not that easy!
I have to ask myself, what do I hope to accomplish, here? Mainly, I want to inspire other girls that you can do it. Anything is possible! I won't give up, but maybe I should continue to run alone until I am up to par and beyond an 11 or 12 minute mile? Some consider that slow, after all! (for me, it's nothing short of a miracle.)
At any rate, I may be slow but when it comes to improving my health, I am not falling behind!
5 comments:
Miles are miles and they're all good. I was running at a much faster pace a year ago but injuries and an inconsistent training schedule have really slowed me down. I had a 3-mile run last week where I felt great and thought I was going pretty fast - but I was averaging 10:45. I enjoy running, my injuries are healing, and every time I push myself to be faster I end up re-injured and miserable. I would rather be slow than not able to run at all. Listen to *your* body and don't worry about anyone else's. You're so much healthier and fitter than you were a year ago!!
Jessica, I admire our honesty. I think you are amazing and think of how far you have come. Do not worry about what others are doing, just worry about what you can do and what you can do is pretty darn amazing :)
Jess, thank you for being honest! I read about all these Mamas enjoying their runs and it stinks because I just don't feel it. When I finish (what usually ends up being a short run because I just don't have it in me) I don't think "yes! I ran!" My thought is usually, "Thank goodness THAT'S over with." I want to get to a point where I like it. Where I'm not stuck in a rut of "I should do this" and am instead cruising along in an "I want to do this" mode.
At least we're out there doing it, right? :) The one thing I feel good about is this group of ladies. No one cares or judges me because I can't run under an 11 min/mi to save my life. All I feel from this group is encouragement and love and that's honestly what has been keeping me running these days!
Keep it up! You're out there doing it!
I too couldn't run under an 11 minute mile to save my life! 12:30 has been pretty good for all of my runs recently. When we ran the Lincoln Mile side-by-side, I was running as fast as I ever have, just like you! But unlike you, I haven't seen that darn scale budge since 2011, despite running pretty regularly since April 2012! I am not quite in the obese BMI range, but definitely overweight, but I am blazing past those people (my past self included!) sitting on the couch eating Oreo's! At least now I'm eating my Oreo's with sweat on my brow and with my heart in good shape! :) Keep up your good work Jessica, run your own race, not anybody else's.
I too couldn't run under an 11 minute mile to save my life! 12:30 has been pretty good for all of my runs recently. When we ran the Lincoln Mile side-by-side, I was running as fast as I ever have, just like you! But unlike you, I haven't seen that darn scale budge since 2011, despite running pretty regularly since April 2012! I am not quite in the obese BMI range, but definitely overweight, but I am blazing past those people (my past self included!) sitting on the couch eating Oreo's! At least now I'm eating my Oreo's with sweat on my brow and with my heart in good shape! :) Keep up your good work Jessica, run your own race, not anybody else's.
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