Running just isn't for me. As soon as my legs start hurting and it gets hard for me to breathe, I stop and walk. To get going again takes some serious self-talk and berating. I just can't push myself to suffer/be uncomfortable while running. It becomes a miserable activity that I dread and thus I don't go at all. I don't get faster because I quit too soon and stop going altogether, causing me to lose all the fitness I had worked so hard to gain.
Biking, on the other hand, is AWESOME! I can go hard and hurt and actually enjoy it. Shocker. Who would've thought that discomfort from exercise would be something I strove for? I can go for miles with my legs burning and my lungs gasping for air, and I don't quit. It's pretty sweet.
Since my wrist is allowing for this, I've started biking a lot. And by "a lot" I mean I went three times this past week, once in the rain. Btw, I hate biking in the rain, not because it's cold and miserable (which it actually isn't), but because that means I have to clean my bike afterwards. I don't like cleaning my bike. Anywhos, three days in one week is an accomplishment for me. So I'm proud.
So for now, I'm going to forgo running and stick with biking. Easy as that. Maybe once I get thinner and it becomes easier to run I'll go back to it. I mean, I'm going to have to run eventually to get back into rugby shape, so the training is inevitable. I just don't think now is the right time to force myself to do unpleasant exercise, when there is an activity that burns a bunch of calories that I actually enjoy. Nay, love.
Edit: After meeting up with a friend today at a rugby game, I agreed to run stairs and hills tomorrow at lunch with her. I have no idea what I was thinking. Actually, I do know. Even though I hate running, all the sports I love to play involve running. The same is the case with her, so it'll be nice to have someone to commiserate with about this whole thing. And hills and stairs are completely different than running for distance for no reason. For some reason, I don't mind them.
And here's the incline with the hills and stairs: 5 times up the hill, 2 minute rest, then 5 times up the stairs. This is going to suck.
I just quit running. It did what I wanted it to do. I improved my cardio and dropped about twenty pounds. I could pull off ten kilometers. Then I started having knee and arch trouble. I have the best possible shoes, but I'd still hurt every run. I mostly ignored it and ran through it and kept running about four times a week. Then I badly bruised the heel padding on my right foot. It started to hurt at about three and a half kilometers into the run, but I was determined to run five, so I kept going. I could barely walk for a full day, limped for three and am only just back to normal today. That's it. I'm done. I don't love it and I quit. I DO however love cycling and always have. But it's moving into Canadian Rocky Mountain winter here. So, my husband bought me a fluid trainer and set my bike up on it. It's AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly why I quit running in the first place! It did what I wanted it to do for me and I was done. I stopped trying to convince myself to enjoy it when it clearly wasn't something I liked doing. So I started cycling more seriously and actually enjoyed exercising. Funny how that happens.
DeleteWe're moving into Colorado winter here and the time on my bike is limited due to the weather, much like you it seems. I began running again recently because I need to be fit to referee rugby games and I don't hate it nearly as much. So I think most of my winter exercise will consist of running outside and I'll try to get out on the bike once or twice a week when the weather allows.
I'm really glad you like the trainer because most people are not fans! Thanks for reading!