Getting somewhere . . .

Now that the damn thing is put together, I finally got to try out my new treadmill yesterday. Opinion? Not quite like running on the road, but just as sweaty.

There are definitely pluses to using the treadmill vs. running outdoors:

1. No worries with weather. Yesterday was chilly and rainy (thank you, Chicago), but it was perfectly comfortable in my livingroom.

2. I can track and measure exactly how fast I'm going, and for how long. As I'm a beginner, I know my stride is not terribly consistent, and I get slower the longer I'm out. With a treadmill, you must run the speed you have set, or you fall off. 'Nuff said.

3. I don't have to concern myself with where I am, or with turning the wrong way on my route. I was distracted one day and ended up on a major road, which was a little disconcerting, to say the least!

4. The treadmill is easier on my knees and hip joints; I wasn't nearly as sore after my run yesterday as I usually find myself.

However, every fitness trainer will tell you that running outdoors will always be superior to running on a treadmill. There are definitely minuses to the treadmill experience as well:

1. Even with moving arm handles, my upper body was much less involved in the workout.

2. When running outdoors, the body uses more muscles to compensate for changing terrain, thus involving and building more of the body. the treadmill is pretty tame in that respect.

3. After my treadmill run, I was incredibly light-headed, and actually dripping with sweat. I attribute this to the fact that the perfectly steady beat and speed didn't allow me to be as aware of how hard I was working myself, which can be a little dangerous.

Verdict? Ultimately, outdoor running is superior to the treadmill. While it is essential for me to have one on days where the Chicago weather makes it necessary to remain indoors, I still intend to run outside as much as possible.

It was pretty nice, though, to finally try it out!

Tomorrow: I'll be reviewing my new book/plan, Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism. Lots of very good and some terribly scary information here, but there may be some explanations for why I'm not losing any weight!

Running . . .

I have always said I am not a runner.

Runners are svelte, gazelle-creatures, with long slender legs and expensive performance-gear. I would often see them, especially as Spring turns to Summer, out with ear buds in ears and stylishly matched sports bras and tight little running shorts, tied together with their $200 running shoes. Ponytails bouncing back and forth, I would watch them with outward scorn, but inwardly I was terribly envious.

I have never seen myself as very physically capable; a heart condition in my youth stopped me from excelling at any sports (which made me hate them), and I have come to believe myself weak and incapable of change.

Then, last week, I started running.

My running program:
Week 1: Run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes. Repeat for a total of 5 times.
Week 2: Run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes. Repeat for a total of 5 times.
Week 3: Run 5 minutes, walk 2.5 minutes. Repeat for a total of 4 times.
Week 4: Run 7 minutes, walk 3 minutes. Repeat for a total of 3 times.
Week 5: Run 8 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Repeat for a total of 3 times.
Week 6: Run 9 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Repeat once, then run 8 minutes.
Week 7: Run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 3 times.
Week 8: Run 13 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Repeat once.
Week 9: Run 14 minutes, walk 1 minute. Repeat once.
* If you feel tired after week 9, repeat it a second week.
Week 10: Run 30 minutes.

It is hard, no mistake; by the fourth repetition of running, my legs feel like planks of wood, and my hip joints are starting to really burn. I caught my reflection yesterday, and my chest and arms were flushed red; I come in streaming with sweat. But, I cannot possibly describe the sense of accomplishment I feel after finishing a run; I feel energized and strong, and that is not a feeling I get very often. I am making myself into a runner.

I just bought my first pair of running shoes (TJ Maxx Reeboks for a fabulous deal), and I'm about to invest in a treadmill, so I won't have any excuses not to keep this up. I've programmed specific playlists in my ipod, timed for each week, so it takes the guesswork out of the intervals. I've lost a pound this week, and I'm only on week 2, with two more days to go.

I am becoming a runner, and, unsurprisingly, it is a change that does not only involve my legs. It means something else altogether, deeper and farther reaching.