This is the story of how running entered and left my life in the time span of a blurp. Or blip. Whatever floats your boat.
For the first few weeks we completely stuck to our plan. Twice a week, following the couch to 5k on Mondays and Wednesdays after work. I had cute sneakers, a sports bra (which let me tell you, for those boobally impaired out there, don't listen to them, a sports bra is completely useless when a yoga top does the job!) and a partner. Sure, it never ever made me happy, and I usually hated every second of it, and I was super tense and stiff afterwards, but I was doing it! I think we made it to week three. At least, we made it to the point where we ran for three minutes straight intervals, I was stoked!
And then the heat hit. Every day was high humidity, our apartment never got below 30 degrees (even at night) and the thought of running in that heat made me nauseous. So we took a break for three weeks.
Then August hit and I started the synthetic baby repellent. It was like being hit by a truck. I was exhausted every day, didn't even want to get out of bed and I was ridiculously angry at everyone including myself. My IBS resurfaced so that every meal was a painful experience. I stopped caring and even my yoga practice petered out to almost nothing. I was as close as I can imagine being clinically depressed would be like. Running? Yeah right.
The first day of 'no pill week' was almost shocking. It was like a huge heavy emotional and physical blanket was lifted and I was *myself* again.
(Lawrencetown Beach a few weeks ago right before a rain storm. Interestingly enough, this area 45minutes away from Halifax is internationally renown for 'cold surfing' due to the waves from our hurricane season. It was gorgeous and quiet)
Tonight it's down pouring with fantastic thunder and lightening... so no running. I haven't totally given up on running, it still has a place in my life and I feel like Fall might be good timing. I love that it's free, that it will force us to be outside in the park at least twice a week and that it's so good for my heart rate.
But I don't think I'll ever be a Runner, capital 'R'.
article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com
are you going to try a different birth control? sounds like that one is NOT the one for you! not sure if you've mentioned that already before.
ReplyDeleteyeah... i'm giving it one more month (since it was only month one), but i think regardless i'm going to request another prescription of a different company. :)
DeleteOh wow! I never did well on the Pill. It really affects the body so much, unless you find JUST the right one - and I lost patience with that! LOL. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteOh gal---I feel ya. I've been a mega mess this summer not only due to the probable divorce on the horizon and my sadness about that....but I also tried to go on the pill at the same time....bad idea. Hope yours regulates soon!
ReplyDeleteAnd I used to say the same thing about running. I'll still never truly call myself a runner...even though I now love a quick 5k and find it to be the best way to blow off steam.
I completely understand the synthetic baby repellant fog. I switched to a Mirena and LOVE it. Just a thought... as for running...if you do keep it up it might just grow on you! ;)
ReplyDeleteboobally impaired and duly noted - thanks for the tip! lol
ReplyDeleteI'm a walker. Back in the day, I was a runner, but the older I get, that extra 10lbs that refuses to leave my belly area, and yes - OMG the humidity has made me quite content to just do morning and evening walks.
I too, LOVE me some thunderstorms. We had one here the other night that woke me up from a dead sleep - what a wonder to watch off my balcony.
peace~
I ended the pill after 10 years and have a Paragard now. one word: awesome. (You don't have to have had a kid first either, I didn't.)
ReplyDelete"old lady who's been there" posting here. Both things will resolve. I took the pill for many years, and it took me some months to adjust (aggravated by the fact that I had to change formulations a few times). I had a lot of strange things - cramps, fatigue, teariness. But they went away. And running helped. Also, I live in a MUCH warmer and more humid place than you do, and during the first couple of years when I started running, I quit entirely in the summer and started up again in the lovely autumn. Eventually I realized that if I wanted to maintain my fitness level and not have to "start over" every year, I'd have to persist through the summer. I moved my running time to early morning (I realize this may not be practical for you). I shortened my distance. I ran more slowly. I skipped days when it was unbearable. And I never, ever liked it. In fact I hated it. But I kept it up and am still slogging on 30-some years later. So, I suggest you start up again in October, and see if you can't carry on through summer.
ReplyDelete