Running Again

My beloved Garmin forerunner died last year. It accompanied me on 2 full marathons (I didn't have it for my first), 4 half marathons (again, I didn't have it on my first), and countless 5Ks, 10Ks and a 10-miler. When the doctor told me last March not to run for 6 months (due to an ankle issue), it say forlornly on my bathroom counter, staring hopefully at me every time I walked in wearing gym clothes. But alas, it never moved.

Neither did I. I stopped running completely. I felt freaked out due to the doctor's visit. No more full marathons, he said, and no running at all for 6 months. No exercising at all for at least a month because even biking could do something to the ankle. I fell into an exercise depression. I used to be a gym rat, but no more. Oh, I still exercise, but nowhere near what I used to. Before, I would never go 2 days without exercising. Nowadays I'll exercise a couple of times every two weeks. I've fallen out of my pattern.


Then, 4 months ago, I looked at the Garmin. My 6 months was up. Could I run again? I gained weight and knew I would look foolish while running. But could I do it? I picked up the Garmin and turned it on. Nothing. I tried again. Nothing.

That sucked.

I attached the charger to it and left it alone. The next day, I went to turn it on. Nothing. Yep, it died during my running hiatus. Perhaps it was its time. Perhaps it died of a broken heart. But it was gone.

And so was my inspiration to run again. I didn't want to run without knowing how far I'd run. I didn't want to run without split times, without calorie counts, without anything. So I decided to buy a new one. But didn't for a while.

Last Saturday, after reading friends' tales of upcoming 10ks, marathons, half marathons and tri's, I realized I wanted to tell tales, too. So I bought a new Garmin, the 305. Not the newest, most fancy, but one that still worked nonetheless.

Today was the first test run. In my first run in over a year, I ran two miles. I ran 3-1s (3 run, 1 walk) in 30 minutes, 30 seconds.

Mile 1: 15 minutes even.
Mile 2: 15:30.

Considering this was my first run in over a year, and since I've gained about 30 pound since my last run, I'm not going to complain at all. In fact, I'm stoked. My lungs hurt, my quads hurt and I grew tired - but it felt good. I miss the running pain, because with that pain comes achievement.

So, no more full marathons for me (unless I get into New York next year, in which case I'll run the first half and walk the second half). I think I'll sign up for a 5k somewhere - then I'll be back on my way. I'm signing up for my 4th Houston half marathon this year (which I haven't run in two years) and a 10 miler in October. Slow I will be, but happy will I be, too.

Cheers!