Lessons Learned as a Relatively Newb Runner

I’ve always learned things the hard way.

And that also applies itself to running.  I’m stubborn too, which just adds to the problem, lol.

I first started running when I was working with a personal trainer at the gym.  

It all started when one of the girls at my workplace started up a lunchtime run group.
The first day we ran 5km.  I felt like I was running on a cloud….oh wait, those were my new sneakers. BONUS POINT:  I had running sneakers.  I went out and bought a good pair of Sauconys.  Go me 🙂

I was hooked.  Running was awesome!

Problem #1: I was not stretching.  Not warming up.  Not like I should have been. This lead to some really tight legs after my very first 10km race (I had done a Run for the Cure 5km prior).

And then……about a year later

Problem #2 – Stubborn: Since I was invincible, I began to train for my first Half Marathon.

Training was going well (at least I thought it was, lol) After my 18km long run, I felt AWESOME.  Went for another run, pain.  A lot of pain.  Right outside my knee.  I thought, okay, rest up.  This was one week before the race.  I was tight all the way up to my hip.  So I foam rolled and bought a strap for the old IT band at the race expo.

Day of the half…I ran, in pain, and finished at 2:30.  I walked a lot of the last few kms, but ran over the finish line.

I could barely walk the next day.  Off to doc and off to physio.  My IT band was shot…tightest EVER.

Was a long haul back and lesson learned.

Problem #3: Not listening to my body.  This applies to Problem #1 and #2.  I was not stretching and applying any serious cross training.  I thought some of the pain was “just a runner thing”.  Yes, I should have known better.

Another year later!  We are into year 3.

Problem #4:  Eat better, fuel better.  This took some work, as I love to eat and the more I ran, the more I wanted to EAT!  This caused some upset belly moments and some dehydration.  This is a big lesson for newb runners.

Half Marathon #2:  Trained smarter, pushed myself a little bit harder (sometimes a bit too much, felt kind of nauseous and had to stop a couple of times) and ran a 2:10.

I was going to run another Half, but was very very sick not long beforehand and did a 10k at the Valley Harvest Marathon. Because I am a dork and was full of running excitement, I went out too fast and wanted to barf halfway through.  Finished in under an hour and finally said, okay, smarten up.

I ran a 21k relay the next month, Lucky 7 Relay with a couple of people from work.  I ran my 7km in 38 minutes.  I felt like a ROCK STAR 🙂

Heading into year 4…

I was running right up until the “Punta Cana Incident”.  We ran just about every morning around the resort nice and early, with the other runners.  Then I went and fell in the washroom (Yes, the washroom, and yes, I was sober).  This is the “awe man” moment when I was pretty sure I tore my meniscus, but found out I really have a condition called Osteochondritis Dissecans and I am due for surgery in the near future.

Once I am all “put back together” and travel down my road to recovery, I am getting back to the Half Marathon state and looking for a new PB.  With my new love of yoga and my wiser ways, I am starting my bucket list of races.  Need to kill that 2:10 Half!

Look out Half Marathon…..cause I am comin’ to get ya…..soon.