If you know me personally you would have automatically cringe with embarrassment right after reading the title …
Preparations underway …
Hear I am in my early 40s with absolutely no background in sports ever since I took my first baby steps (I’m sure my dear folks will vouch for me on this!). Childhood games during the summers consisted of patintero, agawang base and climbing the neighbor’s aratilis tree. And when it was too hot to play outside, we were into some highly intellectual board games with such unforgettable names like, 72 Games, Chinese checkers, Monopoly, Games of the General, and our favorite—Millionaire’s Game; oh yes, I was also into the conventional jackstone and Chinese jackstone. So sports kinda went by passed me. Even in school, I only learned the theories of volleyball and basketball. Leisure for me was always reading!
Two years ago was a turning point in my life as my dear mother was diagnosed with colon cancer. From a simple visit to her doctor to the colonoscopy to the operation --- gosh! Life took some complicated twists & turns and very quick ones at that! Later on I found out that a female cousin in my maternal side, who passed away five years ago, initially had colon cancer before it metastasized to her other internal organs. Colon cancer is what scares me the most since I was very carnivorous during my younger days. Which is why I was lacto-ovo vegetarian for eight years (I now consume chicken meat in large quantities). I also read that if you have this type of cancer somewhere in your family tree, you should have a colonoscopy upon reaching the magic 40. Geez, that’s me.
So every time I lift heavy weights and hit the treadmill or alternately push & pull the bars of the elliptical machine and find myself huffing and puffing, I very consciously remind myself that this is heaven compared to getting yourself diagnosed with the big C. I cannot imagine myself going the emotional trauma, the operation, chemotherapy and all the works. Which is why I have high respect for people who meet this head-on, wow, I truly admire their inner strength.
Then I got a flyer about a fund-raising for my son’s school. A marathon!
It only took me a few minutes to decide to join.
Thus this week I’ve been hitting the treadmill longer than the usual.
Running short distances has always been my preferred cardio workout. In fact, sometimes I find myself enjoying the treadmill more than lifting weights. If it wasn’t for my personal battle cry and the fact that
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strength training is just as important as cardio training, I would have turned my back on it.
The first time I tried to run at a steady speed, I surprised myself with what I was able to accomplish. ? I was able to run continuously for 25 minutes. I knew I could do more but I had to stop because I knew the treadmill that I used was programmed to stop at 30 minutes. Since I didn’t want to fall short in my cool down, I stopped at 25 minutes. And I wasn’t huffing & puffing, and true enough my heart rate registered at only 148. That was very encouraging! That means my heart can be pushed some more. I promised myself to do a longer time, keeping the same speed next time.
And next time was the following day. There I was again. This time I logged in 28 minutes, same heart rate; took a three-minute slow pace and then went back to my steady speed and waited for me to hit five kilometers. Which I eventually did at 42 minutes! It was an exhilarating experience.
It gave me a new high!
The following day I was at it again.
I was relating my experience to a trainer-friend and she was impressed at what I was able to achieve. She added that she should have invited me to marathons long time ago. Funny she also told me that I’d easily win in my category. Category? Oh, she meant age group. ;) Only a few women in their 40s compete in amateur marathons. Okay, at first I didn’t know how to react, should I be thankful that I’m 41 or what? I guess I should be thankful and make my contemporaries proud!
On my third training day, my legs were a bit sore and with a matching blister on my right foot from my second day, so it was a little more challenging. Again going for steady speed and I was very conscious on the time for me to hit five kilometers (& I wouldn’t be completely honest if don’t add that I was also on the lookout for the calories I was burning -- that time 340). I was redder than a tomato when I broke the imaginary tape at 41 minutes and 35 seconds! Not bad, not bad!
So what was going on while I was at my steady speed?
One, I was learning patience. If I kept my eyes on my treadmill monitor I would have fainted on the seemingly slow movement of the timer. So I had to keep myself also aware of what was going on around me. Familiar faces going in & out of the gym, one person after another doing his/her warm up at the treadmill beside me (while casting strange and curious glances at me and at my treadmill monitor). Occasionally checking out what’s showing on the TV. And then I would look at my monitor to savor the precious minutes and seconds I’ve ticked and the calories I’ve burned. |
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