Well, week one is finished and I am alive :-) Our clinic started on Monday night and with great trepidation I entered the Running Room. There are a lots of folks milling about - the first two people I see are 2 women dressed to run that appear to be in their early 20s - slim, trim - no jiggle factor there. Please let them be here shopping for $15 socks! I hone in on a women that appears to be about my age & shape and looks as nervous as I feel. We instantly connect and others join us. We are all feeling excited, but anxious. Our two instructors seem great and soon put us at ease.
I knew ahead of time that the first week would consist of run 1 minute/walk 2 minutes. This didn't scare me. I mean how hard could it be to run for one minute? After all I do some pretty intense hour-long classes at the gym...oh such foolish thoughts! :-) We go out and are told to start running. Off I go smiling, but thinking in my head: "Wait, how am I supposed to run? Aren't you going to show me how? How do I breathe and run? Is there a method for this? By the 30-second mark I am huffing and puffing like a 95 year old with asthma. This was the longest minute EVER. But wait, the 2 minute walk is here and I feel sweet relief. That is, until the pain in my calves kick in. My breathing is still labored when we are told to run again (there is no way that was 2 minutes!!!). During the 2 minute walks I am forced to stop and stretch my tight calves. I cannot believe how HARD this is. Harder than BodyPump, BodyCombat and Kettlebell combined. Hard in a totally new and different way.
But by the last 2 cycles things feel better. Dare I say - a bit easier than at the beginning. I am at the back of the pack, but wait, I am gleefully passing the two young trim women that were not buying socks. They have STOPPED running and are walking during the 1 minute run, because of cramps!!!!! And I am still running :-) By the end of week one I am very sore but nothing that ice, Epsom salts, and ibuprofen can't fix. SUCCESS!!!!
Gotta go. I'm Running Late...Literally!
