So, I’ve been progressing in the running department. Now the runs are mostly the same. 5 minute warm up, 25 minutes of jogging and cool down. It hasn’t been a problem doing the runs, although I am quite slow. On Sunday, it was too cold to bike for breakfast, but I figured I could jog there since it was about the distance I needed to cover for my workout time — about 2- 2.5 miles . John took the car, which was good so that I didn’t have to get home jogging or walking. LOL! Anyway, as I was plodding along, I was thinking that I wasn’t enjoying it very much. Or at all, really. I kept thinking that I wished I were biking or, at the very least, done with the running.
My insomnia has been rearing its head lately as well and last night after I got back out of bed and sat thinking while playing a video game at 2 am, I was mulling over running. I just don’t like it and I don’t think I want to spend the time doing something I don’t like. Running never makes my face look like this:
Biking does that. I have been weather watching to see what days I could coordinate the running program with weather conducible to riding and I would rather just not fit that in and sort of dreading the run program days.
It sort of feels like a failure to stop running, which I know isn’t true, but that feeling is there – just being honest. You know that feeling like you are supposed to be doing something. So many people run and do yoga and meditate and I don’t do those things. I bike, which is not necessarily as women-centric a sport and I feel a little left out sometimes by not joining in the yoga or the running thing with the cool kids. Heck – I don’t even like the yoga pants on their own without the yoga!
I guess this means I will hang up the running shoes until another couple years go by and I get the itch again — or maybe that won’t happen at all. Meanwhile, I’ll just stick with what I love and the dorky outfits that entails:
It’s almost cupcake ride season anyway!
THREE CHEERS FOR WOMEN CYCLISTS!!!
Life is too short to do things that don’t make you happy during your limited free time. You tried an experiment and you figured something out. That is a SUCCESSFUL experiment.
I love to see photos of you exhibiting Bike Joy. Sometimes when I ride I may be hurting and panting but I feel how you look.
Yes, even hurting and panting and exhausted, I still feel the joy 😀
I don’t mind running, but it takes me SO long to get in the groove, I usually talk myself out of it before I get to that point. But then I think “you might like it if you are 30 pounds lighter!” Ha!
Hooray for almost cupcake bike riding season!!
I stopped doing my jog/walk program back in the fall of 2014.Then I just started a easy walking program of just two miles I love it! Plus I do 2 days of weight lifting again doing what I like. Best part is I lost 15 pounds w/o trying just getting rid of what was stressing out my body. I don’t miss the jogging at all!!
All that to say STOP the running if you don’t like it. Life’s to short to do stuff you don’t like.
I think it is partly because I sort of miss being able to do it. Before I hurt my back – about 5 years ago (eek!!), I ran a lot and biked. So there is a part of me that wished I could get back there.
OK, here’s a secret: I’ve always wanted to swim. Or at least I think I do, and a lot of my cool running friends swim as cross training. Swimming is something you can do when you’re old! I need to swim! Each time I try – lessons, etc. all I ever think about is “when is this going to be over?” I’ve pretty much decided I’m never going to be a swimmer.
With you, I’ve noticed mostly when you try to run, you start in the winter when there is no biking opportunity. Then as the biking season comes around you get where you are right now. You don’t like running and that’s OK. Just enjoy what you really love and figure out something else for the winter. There’s not a thing at all wrong with just walking you know. Or lifiting. Do something you like when you can’t bike!
I’ve never liked swimming much. I only did swim training when I did my triathlon and then I was out of the pool LOL!
Lifting is good in the winter, but I do have to do cardio as well. Good thing I have the treadmill and the trainer .
I love that you know what you love and will be sticking to it, Lori. Yay, You!!!!
I’m with you, I don’t like running!!!! I would rather bike 🙂
I think Helen has hit the nail on the head – you look for something when you can’t bike. Maybe running will end up being your winter sport? But I’m with you – if I don’t like a particular form of exercise, I just don’t want to do it. That’s how I am with swimming – I HAD to do it when my ankle was messed up, but I didn’t like it enough to continue once I had other options. Do what you love, that’s my motto.
I think my winter sport should be taking my bike down to New Orleans for a few months 😀 I could ride off all those beignets.
I love biking myself and with ya about rather bike than run. I began running last summer and it was rough. I plan on still running again this Spring and Summer but I will skip a run for a bike ride. Finding an exercise during the winter is tough especially since you seem like someone who loves doing outdoor exercises. Good luck on your search and enjoy your biking season!! I still cannot get out my bike yet due to all the snow.
I do love being outdoors. During the warm months we spend a lot of time outdoors knowing that it doesn’t happen in the winter. It’s just so wonderful here in the rest of the year, who wants to be indoors!
Running isn’t for everyone. Definitely don’t do something you don’t enjoy. That’s not worth it!
I will say that for me, yoga was something I wanted to like but hated it for a really long time. It was slow, boring, I often felt like I was wasting my “workout” time for the class when I could be doing something else and burning more calories. But I kept at it because of the benefits for my body issues and I grew to love it. So you never know! Sometimes it takes time.
I did yoga for a while and made myself do it for a few months. I just never got into it and found my own stretching was better for me.
I say go with what makes you happy Lori!!!! I run cause for me, it is the lesser of all cardio evils! 🙂 I do StepMill at the gym now too. No failure!!!!
I agree, I feel like I should meditate or do yoga too but I don’t. I want to go to a yoga studio but can’t afford right now so….. but yes, sometimes I feel like I should cause everyone else is doing it!
Liffe is short – bike! 🙂
How did I miss this entry? I swear I checked your blog at midnight last night…
Good to hear other people are dealing with insomnia. I will go along fine sleeping well for a long period, and then I will have a week or so when I can’t sleep through the night. Its maddening.
Sometimes I wish I could just run and run and run. And then I take a few steps and I remember that that is no longer an option for me. There’s plenty of other things I can do, so I try not to dwell on what I can’t do too much.
My insomnia is the same way. I will be fine for a while and then it’s like a switch turns on. My ass drags the next day and I can get cranky. Eventually I crash and sleep, but it’s hard waiting for that night.
You are so not a failure! The miles you bike in a year is so impressive! You have to do what you like/love and you don’t like running. So you stop, no big deal.
You are very active, not only with biking but also with gardening and restaurating stuff. To me you’re an example.
And here in Holland biking is huge, there are many cyclists here. Walking/hiking is the number 1 sport here, I think running is second and biking is third.
I still like running but not as much as before, I will never train for a half for example. The time I need for that, I can also spend on hiking with Bella which I love more these days.
I enjoy the hiking as well for something different, but biking is always the most enjoyable.