Run From What Ails You

I was misinformed, Modern Philosophers, and I wish to lodge an official protest!

So many people have told me over the course of my life that you can’t run from your problems.  But recent research has proven this to be a lie!

And I didn’t even need the pack of scientists I keep on retainer in my basement to debunk this claim.  While the nerds in lab coats polished their lab beakers, I put on my running toga, laced up my sneakers, and did the legwork on my own.

I had a very stressful week.  Most of the problems cropped up on Friday (some Good Friday that was!) and threatened to carry over into my weekend.

There was no way I could allow my Easter weekend to be ruined, however.  I have been putting in fifty hour work weeks, so two days of rest and relaxation to recharge my battery was exactly what the doctor (if I had one) would have ordered.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am knee deep in sweat with a new fitness program.  Since I’m eager to keep the wellness train speeding down the tracks towards a healthier life, I decided to kill two birds (of the proverbial variety only) with one stone and go for a very long run this morning.

Not only would I be able to continue kicking ass in the physical fitness department, but I’d also have the opportunity to discover if running was a useful coping skill.

Fifteen days into this new running program, I’ve logged nearly 200,000 steps and gone on nine runs.  This morning’s run, the one intended to clear my head and ditch the work stress, was the longest of the bunch.

I was out on the road for nearly an hour on what turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous morning, and amassed almost 9,000 steps.  I’m sure I left at least that many of gallons of sweat in my wake.

I pushed myself because I could sense my problems behind me, and I needed to shake them before I got back to The House on the Hill.

Somewhere, out past the three mile mark, I finally gave my stress the slip.  I then ran a circuitous route to ensure it would not pick up my scent (which was quite the challenge given how much I was sweating!).

Now I’m home relaxing as I watch the Yankees and get some writing done.  My legs are sore, but my head is clear.  Mission accomplished.

As for my progress with my new wellness program, I had already lost eight pounds when I weighed myself on Wednesday.  I joined my coworkers in ordering Chinese for lunch yesterday (we were all pretty stressed after all!) and that was my first “unhealthy” meal since this new routine started.  Even then, I only ate about half of it.

At the moment, I’ve got my diet under control.  Healthy meals, reasonable portions, and no sweets.  Yes, Modern Philosophers, I was able to fight the temptation and pass up on purchasing any Easter candy.

I’ve been running four days a week, and going for walks on my rest days.  I make sure I get in my 10,000 steps even when I don’t run.  There’s been some mild weightlifting for good measure as well.

So far, so good.  Now that I know I can run from my problems, I will be hitting the road more often as the weather improves and work gets more stressful.

I know I’ve inspired you to be active, but before you go for a run, could you follow me on my blog and on Pinterest?  Thanks!