A 4 Mile Run...From Boredom to Guilt to Runner's High (And ADD the Entire Time)

First of all...let me just say what just got through a FOUR mile run on the treadmill!!!  YOU.  And you and you and you.  Seriously, it was almost as if I composed this post while running and it was helpful knowing how proud I would be to be able to post it.  Let me start off by saying that I LOVE walking on the treadmill at a 4 mph pace and an incline of 6.  I love it b/c I can multitask and watch TV that I have DVRed...or sometimes even a movie.  I truly think I could walk all day long.

Running...I will admit...I don't love it.  I'm frustrated b/c in the 43 minutes I ran, it only logged me as burning 380 calories whereas my walk as noted above burns 450.  And the first 10 minutes or so, I was BORED.   That quickly turned into guilt - lots of things that needed doing.  What I DID learn was that next time I will finish my to do list BEFORE my run so that my mind can slow down and I can eliminate the guilt!

I used my IPod b/c I figure I won't be able to run the half marathon I want to run while watching TV, so I'd better get used to running to music.  Yesterday, I had it on Pandora, but I am definitely a song skipper...I can tell in 3 or 4 notes if it's a song I want to run to.

Ummm...in 43 minutes, I went through 225 songs.  Of course I did not LISTEN to all of those songs, but I heard a few chords and then either hit skip or let it play.  Interesting choices I made.  The Glamorous Life by Sheila E made the cut.  Bright Side of the Road by Van Morrison got almost a full listen.  Along others that I heard at least part of were Let's Get Ready to Rumble (Jock Jams), Mr. Brightside (The Killers), Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon), Keep on Growing (Sheryl Crow), Last Chance (Shooting Star), What Was I Thinking (Dierks Bentley), Pump up the Jam (Technotronic), Hero Takes a Fall (Bangles) and Glamorous (Fergie).

My original goal was 40 minutes...but b/c I slowed my pace a bit so I can run longer, I realized that I wouldn't hit 4 miles.  So the second that Ballroom Blitz came on, I somehow did the math and realized that if I cranked up my pace to 6 mph, I would only have to run a few more minutes and could hit 4 miles.  So I did it and ran FOUR miles in a ROW, in 43 minutes.  I know - super slow for many of you, but it's a start, and I will continue to keep this up and run my half marathon(s).

Gotta boogie now and shower, then get a haircut before our date night out!  Still no idea of where we are going.  But can't wait to spend an awesome evening with the love of my life.  And my anniversary present to him is for the whole family - but can't spoil it here, so will share tomorrow.

Thanks for being there to cheer me on during my run.  I hope it gets easier...and funner...and that I get faster.  But for now, I am enough.  And I am continuously practicing self improvement and doing the best I can do so I am the best I can be.

Oh...on a food note, I did find that by using My Fitness Pal I was MUCH more conscious of the appetizers at Book Club last night.  I started off with a HUGE plate of watermelon and grapes and then nibbled on a few chips and dips, but really did well. 

Promise I will get back to cooking, especially once the damn fridge is fixed.  Needs two new parts so most everything is STILL crammed into the small fridge in our garage.  NOT an ideal situation for someone who loves to cook!!