I started this blog a little late. About six months ago, February 2013, I started running again after nearly 3 decades of not running. I was out of work, and out of shape. And, about 3 months ago I talked my 12 year old daughter (TJ) into joining a cross country club and eventually middle school cross country. With this blog I hope to capture our adventure. I wish I had started it a bit earlier, but ... oh well.
I didn't think I was in poor shape; I play hockey nearly weekly and while it's a struggle at times I compete fairly well with guys (and some women) that are 10 to 20 years younger. But I didn't think I was in good shape. At 5'9" and nearly 200 lbs I was 65 pounds heavier than when I ran in high school. Yikes.
On that first run I couldn't complete a mile, even 'running' slower than I could possibly imagine. I couldn't keep going. So I walked. And jogged a bit more. And walked. And walked.
I used to run a mile in less than 4 minutes and 30 seconds. And now I can't jog a mile no matter how slow.
About 1 month later I finished 3.5 miles non-stop for the first time - out my house around the nearby lake and back. It was about 31 degrees, sleeting, with a driving punishing wind. I did it. I was proud. And, I got sick. Didn't run again for 2 weeks.
I'd love to say that within another month I was going on blistering 6 mile tempo runs and 10 mile long slow distance runs, but I can't. It was a real grind. I was improving, but slowly. At first all I did was repetitions of some sort - 2 minutes running and 4 minutes walking quickly improved to 2 or 3 minutes running with 2 minutes walking. But I struggled to string several miles together. I lacked the will power. My brain was as out of shape as my body and it was taking longer to get it in shape.
It was especially difficult running with my girlfriend who had also started running a few months earlier but had progressed much faster than I. Could be that she's 10 years younger. Or, could be that she's got a lot more will power and pushed herself harder. She was fitter, and faster, by a lot. Her pace on an easy run was too high and I was too proud to ask her to slow down so I'd run for about a mile or two miles, until I couldn't keep up and then I'd stop and let her continue. Sometimes I waited for her to loop back, and sometimes I slogged back home jogging and walking.
I entered the summer and was still struggling to run more than 30 to 40 minutes at a time, although I was pleased to have dropped about 15 pounds and was a svelt 185lbs.
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