Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Back from the Gym

BYU-Idaho: BYU-Idaho Center &emdash; BYU-Idaho CenterHey there, I just got home from the gym!  This morning I went to the track here at the good old BYU-I center.  It's a nice indoor track and I like exercising there.  I am on week 5 of my Cto5K (Couch to 5K).  This week is a big step up.  Day 1 in the week, you walk 5, jog 5, walk 3, jog 5, walk 3, walk 5 (the first and last 5 minutes are warm up and cool down).  That was Monday and today was Day 2 for this week which is, walk 5 (warm up), then jog 8, walk 5, jog 8 and then on to the 5 min cool down.  On Friday it will be walk 5 (warm up), then jog 20 with no walking and then a 5 min cool down - I am scared...but excited.  This does not sound impressive to people who are runners, or naturally athletic or under the age of 25.  Maybe this doesn't sound impressive to anyone...but it is a big accomplishment for me.

I remember a different life when I was an athlete.  Most of my friends don't know that I was a competitive swimmer for the majority of my young life.  Actually...I still hold records at a few swim clubs in Utah, which is kind of a fun thing.  You know, one of those things where you show your kids and they ask if that was really you or just someone who had your name.  I wonder why it is so hard for them to believe...oh yeah...I have a different life now and do not look or act like an athlete.  I remember when I was in college and I would jog.  I didn't have to slowly and gradually get myself in shape enough to run for 30 minutes...I could just do it.

But that was a different life, a different season. 

For the past several years I have had some health problems that really have prevented me from getting into a good exercise routine.  (Maybe someday I can talk about that - it might be healing...I wonder).  I would get so mad at myself that I just didn't seem to have enough will power to make it happen.  I began to think of myself as pretty much an unmotivated slob. Eventually I realized that it was not just a matter of my mental inability, but that there was something physically wrong, a few things actually.  I am in the process of trying to get better physically.  I have mentioned before that since June of 2011 I have had 2 major surgeries.  Both of these surgeries require a long recovery period and I have been told it takes at least a year to feel like you are 100% again after these procedures.  So...I am only 8 months out from the second and the fact that I have actually begun an exercise program and have been able to stick with it and not fall apart is pretty exciting for me.  I wonder if I will ever really be 100% again and honestly, I don't even know what that would be.  I am now in my late 30s and I don't even know what 100% for someone at my age and stage is!  I don't know if I will ever again feel like I have the energy to get everything done.  Maybe that is OK.  Maybe I am just in yet another season of life, but this one looks and feels better to me than the season of physical illness I have been passing through.  For now, I'm just glad that I can say that I am just home from the gym - tired, but happy.

2 comments:

Mindika said...

I can totally relate Leslie!! I'm in the exact same boat. I used to be skinny little runner before 2 bed rest pregnancies, 5 miscarriages, and a near death experience while giving birth that left me in respiratory therapy still to this day. It's so hard to motivate yourself when you feel like you have so far to go. I was just recently given the green light from my doctor to go back to running, and now I'm slowly starting that process. It feels so overwhelming. I know I'll never be a size 6 again, and I'll probably never run a marathon again, but also hope to get to what ever 100% for a near 40 year old is...:) Maybe we'll both be able to figure it out?? :) Anyway, I'm impressed with what you're doing. We can both do this!!

KK said...

Way to go!! I've never been athletic and I'm still not, but it does feel good to accomplish something you haven't before. You've inspired me.