Believe It, Achieve It!

I realized this week I will never be a runner. I've been training for a 10K using this book.

For a while it started to look like the treadmill and I wouldn't always be such intense adversaries. We started to get along and between my newfound friendship with the treadmill and Logan's iPod (with my own annoying mix of incongruous music all lined up) it started to feel almost good to go to the gym.

There it was in black and white what I needed to do to become a runner and I sort of started to feel like a runner.

Then about a week and a half ago I was running along having a grand time and I started to get some very intense stomach cramps and then, I won't even type it, I got this.

I've always thought running was a little crazy....but I decided to try it because I am 30 now and my metabolism is napping until I die or at least it appears that way.

Internally I draw the line at bloody nipples and/or 'Runner's Trots'....this is madness I will not participate in.

So the other day when I was struck with this unmentionable ailment and spent the evening in bed crying out with pain...I sort of decided that was it. Then, when I went back to the gym two more times and each time had the same experience. It pretty much sealed the deal.

I read up on my affliction and it appears if I cut all caffeine and aspartame from my diet...it may help! This is great news since all I consume in liquid form between the hours of 8am and 6pm is this and this.

I won't be running a 10K.

This is my limit. I have evaluated the situation and weighed my options and giving up Diet Coke and other aspartame laced liquids is not balancing out the feeling of achievment I may get by running a 10K.

I could draw so many parallels from this to just about every aspect of my life right now...but it would be somewhat inflammatory for me to do so. But let's just say this: There are many ways to solve problems and get to your goals. Sometimes you are willing to endure whatever means necessary to get to that goal and other times you only have what it takes to get part way there and somehow the end doesn't justify the means anymore.

We all have different levels of endurance and tolerance for hardship and adversity, and loose stools if you really think about it.

My Robotic Spouse is extremely disappointed in me. (First my need for sleep and now this!) Of course, his favorite running partner will stop in the woods to take care of business while she's running. I wish I could say I think her determination is great but I think she's lost her mind.

Instead I'm changing gears and getting only half the cramps by preparing for this instead.

Just like in the rest of my life, I set my goals where I'm willing to do the work to get to them.

Also, I like to make my goals gastroenterologically sound.

Comments

[bryan]

Forget running and go for a nice relaxing walk on the beach :)

[Lil' Sis]

HAHAHAHAHHAAAA! You will NEVER AGAIN laugh at me for constantly carrying around a bottle of Immodium!

I knew exercise was a plot of Satan's. That's why I rebuke it.

Miao.

[Melissa]

I tried pre medicating....no luck.

[jill]

So that's the secret to the weightloss runner's experience. It's not the actually running it is the runs they get from running. It could also be that the runners have to cut out all forms of solid food before running in order to not get the runs. CRAZY I say, CRAZY! I would rather be "a little" on the heavy side than crap my pants while running a 10K or have to stop in the woods to relieve my bowels only to have no toliet paper.

[AnneWhitney]

Yikes! This is why I never run if I don't get out first thing out of bed in the morning before I eat or drink. Hubby is always is encouraging me to go later in the day if I don't make it out in the morning - but I don't want this to happen to me! Of course, my runs are also no longer than 5K :) I've heard about this happening with marthoners, etc. - nutters I say.

[Melissa]

I eat 2 hours before running trying to avoid that too. I don't get it. I also have myself on a 'schedule' to avoid it too. But running in the morning is right up there with giving up aspartame and diet coke.

Not important enough to me.

[Rubber-Sol]

I HEART Aspartame....and sleep too!

[ms]

exercise is bad enough without being attended by the shits.

IV. Recommendation

forget it!

[Sheryl]

I tried learning to run through a 10 week interval training course. For. get. it. 101 ways to get to your target heart rate, why torture yourself?

[briantologist]

Jesus Roosevelt Christ, any world in which you're made to feel bad about giving up something that MAKES YOU SHIT YOUR PANTS is not one I approve of.

I mean, even if you don't actually shit your pants. I mean, Jesus. The shits? = Recreation? No?

[jenB]

Is there a "walkers" version of this? If so, I have it. I know every public washroom in my part of the city my heart. :-) ahhhh TMI comments! gotta love it!

[TheEd]

Maybe you should consider starting on the Beginner's programs and then building up to training for a 10K.

Start easy and build up.

Come on you can do it

TheEd
www.time-to-run.com