Cursing out the run...

So, my new resolve to run actually started before I penned this blog, near the end of November, but it wasn't until January that I started to take it seriously.  Our training strategy was to be able to run 10 minutes straight with one-minute rest (walking) periods. Luckily, we are well-matched in terms of pace, so we were able to begin at four minute intervals, followed by five and then six.  We are allowed to move on once we achieve a minimum of six repetitions of the interval.  I thought that the five-minute intervals would be the death of our running careers, but, luckily we have made it through to six minutes.  Aside from the occasional trumpeting coming out of my backside, my IBS has not been too bad.  We have had times when I was required to do longer walking intervals in order to ward off bathroom sessions, but, no real emergency situations occurred until last week.  During our last run I had to abandon ship after only two and a half sets of six minutes.  I did not feel that our friendship was strong enough for me to soil myself in front of him.  I was extremely frustrated and disappointed as we felt ready to tackle the six-minute interval hurdle, but, that was not to be.  It was a miracle that I made it to the washroom in time.

Since that day I have managed to rip open my heel on a pair of winter boots, but, as it isn't healing and it hurts like hell I am trying to take care of it with the goal of beginning again on Monday.  Fingers crossed that I will "heel" in time!  This was actually one of the warmest weeks we have had and I was so excited to run.  In previous weeks our run days seemed to land on -20 celsuis weather, so this week would have felt balmy by comparison!  It has, however, been somewhat of a blessing that the heel catastrophe landed this week as my IBS has flared up for a reason unbeknownst to me.  With any luck I will be able to get both issues in check before next week.

I must admit that I have been really enjoying the running sessions thus far, I do dread the run, and normally hate every second of it, but, I do feel a great sense of accomplishment after it is done.  Also, it is amazing to me how much two people can swear in such a short period of time ... between the cold and the running the only thing we can seem to wheeze out is the f-bomb while gasping for breath.  We are trying to think of a few more positive things to say, but honestly, we are just hoping that the calm feeling that runners lovingly refer to will sweep over us at some point in time.  We have convinced ourselves that the 10 minute interval will be the moment where we cross into the world of running enjoyment.  Until then I guess we will have to hope and dream about it and get some sort of satisfaction from cursing out the run.