...Runner's high that is. The best kind!
I don't normally post from my phone, because I feel a lack of control when it comes to editing my post... But I just got in the door, and don't feel like booting up the laptop.
So today, I laced up my runners, tossed on my lovely stretchy Lulu's, and took to the pavement with the Motion Traxx podcast in my ears.
Aside from the fact it was much colder than I had anticipated, getting out there again was such an amazing feeling. I'm okay with working out indoors, P90X is an indoor thing, but I always feel like a hamster on a treadmill. I love them, but I feel funny running in one place. I've also always paid too much money for a gym membership that requires me to spend too many hours indoors during the spring/summer/fall months when I could be outside running or biking.
(Side note: I NEED to get another bike. I miss my old one, and feel an empty place in my heart where my old one used to reside.)
Back on track: Today's run was a start-up run for me. I did about 5k, run/walk intervals. I'm not one for bursts of speed, I'm quite a slow runner, so I like to take it easy while still giving myself a challenge. Whatever I do seems to work for me, which is good.
With running/jogging/walking, I don't do it to train for anything. Not yet anyways... I do ultimately want to participate in a 5k or 10k run this summer, so I'm starting to learn about training for that. But the reason I enjoy this so much is because hitting the pavement has actually helped me kick Asthma's A-double-S. That's right. You read correctly.
I was a pre-mature baby, and had lung problems all through my childhood. I was on several different types of inhalers, and for most of my teen/early adult life, I was taking two different inhalers almost daily. Up until a year or two ago, I was taking the blue inhaler (Asthmatics know the one I'm talking about, it's a steroid) twice a day.
I had a trainer at a gym tell me I should gradually start running. Start a few times a week; not fast, but steady. Then, increase that to almost daily.
Sure enough, within a year of this, I was only taking my inhaler in emergencies. (Times of anxiety, or when I was "too active".)
Fast forward to the current day: I haven't taken an inhaler in almost a year. ALMOST A WHOLE YEAR!!!
This is a BIG deal. I had doctors telling me that I would be taking inhalers for the rest of my life. I even had doctors telling me that I shouldn't run, or train hard at the gym because of the stress it would put on my lungs. (Can you believe that?!? You'd think I should strengthen my lungs, not use an inhaler as a bandaid!)
When I was a kid, maybe 9 years old, I was in a cross-country race. I was a very chubby, unhealthy kid. Anyways, the only thing I remember is running for maybe 10 minutes, then everything went dark. Then, I remember people putting a cold cloth to my face because I had an Asthma attack and they couldn't find my inhaler.
Now, present day and 40 minutes after today's run is over, I'm sitting here sipping on a protein shake, feeling better than I've ever felt in my life. My lungs feel great, and my lungs are easily accepting what they've just been put through.
And, I don't need any stinkin' inhaler. Take that, Asthma. One more point for the healthy lifestyle.
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