Last year, I did this great thing: I started exercising on a regular basis, and it felt good. I made good progress, and even finished a 5K (I walked most of it, but I finished, and by the time I got to that point, I was pretty happy with that outcome).
But I was struggling with plantar fasciitis and shin splints, and I let the winter blahs get the better of me, and I pretty much quit doing anything.
So here I am, starting over. I am not upset with myself, there’s not really any point. I think the important thing is that I am moving again, and you know what? I’m not as bad off as I was worried I was going to be. Oh sure, I’ve gained back the weight I had lost last summer (and it brought a few of its friends along for the ride), but the actual workouts? It feels good to be moving, and already I am back to 10 pushups and 15 situps (even if my pushups are pathetic). We’ve also had a pretty active summer, with the sanding and the moving of boxes and everything else involved with Mom’s new house, so even though I’m sore all of the time, it’s a GOOD sore.
One thing I’m doing is tracking my workouts on Daily Mile. I’ve added a widget on my sidebar that shows my latest workout. (I could have picked one that showed how many donuts I’ve earned (based on the number of calories I’ve supposedly burned). For the record: I’ve now earned 20 donuts. Or 7 cheeseburgers).
I’m working on the treadmill, using a plan to get me running called Couch 2 5K. You start off slowing, alternating running with walking, gradually increasing the amount of running you do. (And I’m trying really hard to be careful about not having a repeat of the shin splint episodes from last year).
As I’m torturing myself, I keep asking myself, why? Why do I want to be able to run? I could do all of this work on the elliptical, which is low impact, but gets my heart pumping, and my competitive little soul finds it pretty satisfying to see the miles add up on that thing.
My main goal is to be healthier. To set a better example for the boys.
But I should be completely honest. I want to be able to run so that in the coming zombie apocalypse, I’m not the slowest piece of meat running away from the zombie horde.
Congratulations on getting back on the exercise wagon! I’ve been starting up again too and can completely sympathize with the feeling sore aspect of it. For shin splints, make sure you have good shoes that haven’t been run/walked in for too many miles. Sometime the outside of the shoe looks great while the important stuff is too tired. For the plantar fasciitis, try rolling your feet on a tennis ball every day. Ouchie at first but those tissues need a work out too to get strong again.
All the very best at staying with the program! I’m pretty much in the same boat; perhaps one with a bit more water in it! 🙂 I had lost some weight last year and since last Oct, I’ve been too busy to work out. I’ve gained more than I lost and then some and now I have reached my peak – at least I hope it is the peak and the only way from here is down.
Zombies?! LOL! (Zombies are a favorites monster in our house.) I know you can do this and you’re doing it smart, i.e. starting out slowly. It’s been 13 months since I realized I was really a size 14 and couldn’t run more than 2 blocks without getting winded. Today I am a size 2 and finished a 18.6 mile benchmark run in a marathon training program…and yes, I ran the whole way! I don’t diet and have banned that word from being used in our family. It’s all about healthy eating and healthy activity. If I can do it (and I am much older than you), you can do it! You go, girl!!! (You might consider finding a group you can run with once or twice a week. It really helps when the motivation starts to wane.)
Forgot to add…about your shin splints and foot/ankle problems, be sure to go to a trusted running shoe store that provides gait analysis. Tell them about your leg issues and they’ll watch you run. (Some stores videotape you on a treadmill. Our Road Runners store does that.) Then they will advise you on the correct shoe to wear. Because my feet are flexible and loose, I needed a stiffer stable shoe. I was not sure I’d like them but the guy was right! The longer I run, the more my feet wanted to move in a position that stressed my legs. The stable shoe actually makes my feet and legs feel much less fatigued since it keeps things in the right position. I LOVE my current running shoes.
Best of luck!