Use It or Lose It

Part three of my running tale

I've reassessed my previous bias - ok hatred - of running, now that I'm guilty of practicing it.

As it turns out, running actually has a few benefits. Who knew? The thousands who join the city2surf with enthusiasm - even fly interstate for it - wasn't a clue? The number of people I see doing it around me in the streets every day wasn't a clue?
Nope, I'd just assumed they were masochists.

I was wrong.

My insides are far fitter now. It turns out that none of my preferred forms of exercise work the cardio-vascular system nearly as well as I'd thought. Cycling up that particular dreaded hill now noticeably easier. And I am genuinely surprised to feel a strength in my legs that I didn't know I was missing until I tried a few deep squats in yoga. Wow! They felt so different - as in, I could actually do them, properly, no cheating. Such power. Such strength. My legs were holding me up.

It's the fastest, most effective and way to warm up on a cold winter day. Within minutes of being cranky and frozen with numb toes, I'm sweating and warmed from the inside.

Running's also very time efficient. I can do it whenever suits me, and there's no loss to travel time - I start and finish running at my front door. I can adapt it to suit how much time I have available and just do a short one if I have a busy day ahead. Whereas you can't just walk out of a yoga class halfway thru in order to still make that 9am meeting.

Also, if I hadn't been out running I'd have never have seen that pod of whales off the coast that day. It was my first whale sighting.

- - - -

It was no surprise to find I'd stopped running the minute my shoulder started to heal and the physio gave me permission to go back to all those other forms of exercise that I love. It fell right off the agenda, with alacrity. So after a week or so, some urge made me make myself get back out there, to maintain all that good work I'd done over the last month, seeing as I'm quite liking my new and improved cardio-vascular system.

That was when I learned the real truth of "use it or lose it."

I won't lie. After 10 days break It was hard work; harder even, it seemed, than my very first day out. But it was also victorious run. That day I finally overtook another runner. Ok, he was about 100 and had no actual muscles left in his legs, but he was "running" (what an inspiration) and so was I and I overtook him. Winner!