Learning to Jog

It's been awhile since I've updated the blog, but I've been meaning to have two separate posts: one for my boto! possibly incorporating Ping on iTunes with some of my running mixes; and another on the awesome package that came in the mail from my padre! Both of which I'll address this week (I promise), but in this post, I just wanted to discuss the half-marathon training I've embarked on since my last post.

On Tuesday, I did 30 minutes of cross-training on the elliptical (about 3.5 miles), and I think the crazy incline I set it on really messed with my knee. I think I got lazy/my knee was hurting on Wed. so I used that day as my break. Consequently, Thursday did the jog--RunAsFastAsICanfor2Miles-jog combo and it totally kicked my ass...in a good way of course. But I didn't really have any revelations. On Friday, I did 45 min elliptical cross-training (about 5 miles). Let me just say that doing the elliptical is SO much easier than actually running, and it burns a surprising amount of calories...too bad it isn't shaking its muscle-maker. (Forgive me, I recently watched an episode of SNL with Ludacris. teehee.)

Then came Saturday: but first, a story. So, back on Thursday, the 15-min jogging before the crazy fast runs was a little difficult for me to comprehend. Jogging in general is a weird concept for me. In high school, I tried out softball for a year. I was terrible at hitting, my nickname was "shotput" for my terrible throwing skills, and I ended up catching a ball with my mouth (luckily the braces kept my teeth from falling out...ew). But the one thing I was good at was pitch running. They would get someone on base, and replace that person with me because I could sprint my way home.

Then there was basketball for many, many years. Basketball's more about sustained short sprinting (hence, suicides and seventeens, the name of my future autobiography haha). We did go on a few longer team runs, but I never quite grasped the concept of "jogging." Why jog when you can run? And what's the difference for me?

Well, I think I'm beginning to learn the difference. Saturday's pre-run jogging session had me starting out at a 4.5 mile pace. I was on the clubhouse treadmill, and there's this framed painting on the wall with abstract shape like circles and diamonds in mauve and black. Jogging for long periods of time (especially before running) bores me. But I get it. This program is teaching me patience in jogging, so that when I actually get to run, I'll runrunrun, and in jogging, I'll get through the entire 13.1 miles without really realizing it. The ugly, abstract painting helps me differentiate between running and jogging, in that if I can focus on details, I'm probably running. (I should really start turning on the TV before I start treadmilling.)

Today would have been my long run, and I really wanted to run it outside, but the foot of snow we got this weekend is covering the sidewalks and bike lanes, so that's out of the question. Besides, the weird atmospheric pressure scheme gave me a migraine that I just can't shake. So tomorrow I'll do the 5 mile run inside, and maybe tonight I'll do some Wii dancing so I can have some homemade shortcake. I want it bad. :D