I have been toying with running for quite a few months. Some of you may remember that I used to have a very negative attitude towards people who ran and have had to humbly swallow my words as I have begun to engage in said activity.
From the treadmill, I have now progressed to the real world, helped along by a few too many trips to Perth in the last 2 months and a need to keep fit whilst spending far too many hours in a car. So from my first 20 min run in the real world, I've progressed to 40 min runs most mornings this week.
I've a mere 2 months till I arrive back in NZ for six weeks of skiing, and I am determined to be seriously fit. The fact that my body is now stronger and fitter (and skinnier!) than it's probably been in the last 20 years is beside the point, I want to be REALLY fit. Sharon, my PT, has put me on an endurance program with my HR monitor where I run and walk for 40 min keeping my HR within a narrow range around 70% maximal HR. This way I build fitness and endurance, and one day my legs will stop being painful. I figure if I do this now, I won't have to experience the daily pain and exhaustion I normally feel on a ski trip. Well that's the plan anyway.
Hazel has been very good about it all, helped by the fact that if she was so inclined to join me on a run through the neighbourhood in the freezing cold dark at 6 am she can't, because I lock her in the bedroom. After the first day of protest, she can now be found comfortably snoring on the bed when I arrive home after my exertions. She gets her gentle walk along the beach in the evening and she's happy.
All this disgraceful exercise (I'm still doing strength training at the gym as well!) has meant that I now have to be very careful what I eat. In particular I have to make sure I eat enough carbohydrates. Driving to work trying to stop myself falling asleep, sitting at my desk feeling somewhat weird and not quite there, I reached across and calmly tested my blood sugar level. With a father who had type 2 diabetes I am acutely aware that I have to watch myself as I get older. But a high sugar is the least of my problems: there I was having my first ever hypoglycaemic event! Nothing an apple and a carrot couldn't fix. And the following day after my run I made sure I had a nice big bowl of muesli for brekkie!!
So here I am, gym junkie, jogging enthusiast, diet wanker, what next????
