Posts: 870
5/25/12 12:15 A

Sounds like a great start! And yes, give yourself some time to adjust to our altitude! I've lived here my whole life and don't even notice it, until a sea level runner joins our group and can hardly breath after a mile or two. It takes a couple of months, but you will adjust.

Also, allergies are terrible here right now, that might be flaring the asthma up a bit too. Be sure to get a good doctor, your meds may need tweaking a bit.

Posts: 14,328
5/24/12 1:13 P

It doesn't matter if the intervals were so short to get you started again. THe important thing is being safe while you adjust to running again and also adjust to the altitude changes. So awesome that you got out there and did it and that you have such awesome support!

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5/22/12 9:01 P

You'll be surprised at how fast you "reagin" what you think you have "lost". WOOHOO to you both for getting out there and DOING IT!

current weight: 1.2  over

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5/22/12 11:49 A

Good for you!! That's awesome that you have such great support at home also.

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Posts: 473
5/21/12 4:08 P

I think it is harder to get going once you've stopped than where you stopped at. So GOOD FOR YOU!!!! I think it is great that you are being smart and adapting to the altitude and still dedicated to being healthy. And your boyfriend sounds fabulous! It makes a huge difference to have a support there! I know I couldn't have been a successful as I have been without my supportive hubby and son. :)

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5/21/12 3:23 P

That is a woo hoo moment if there ever was one. You really show serious drive and initiative. Hats off to Christer for really getting behind you being such a positive force in your journey.

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Posts: 528
5/21/12 2:47 P

Great job! Now your running stuff is all out and ready and your mindset is there... You're already successful! Good job!

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5/21/12 1:27 P

That's awesome!!! He sounds just as committed as you do!!!

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Posts: 4,687
5/21/12 1:25 P

Way to go in getting out there and getting started again! It will take time to get acclimated completely there for running, but you took the first step, and that is HUGE!

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5/21/12 1:24 P

i'd call it starting running again. a baby step maybe, but all sparklers know that baby steps are critical to success. and tomorrow you'll have your inhaler. way to go!

Posts: 743
5/21/12 1:14 P

Well, not sure if you'd call it that b/c it was SO little running time, but anyway, here goes the story...

So, I am all moved and fairly settled now here in Denver. Because we live in a third floor apartment (no yard of our own for the dogs), we have to walk A LOT in order to get them out to do their business. Which has been great for us too! (Along with the SIX flights of stairs! lol)

Yesterday I told Christer I wanted to go to this park in the area that circles a small lake, and wanted to leave the dogs behind so I could do some running intervals. So, after an unecessary trip to the storage unit to get my running gear (had it at the apartment after all LOL) and digging out my interval watch, we headed out sans dogs (me to walk/run, him to rollerblade).

I knew I had to be SUPER careful here....I haven't run or done much of any kind of working out in months, and my body is still adjusting to this altitude; my brother (who lives in Aspen) even warned me that people who do too much too soon in this altitude have actually had heart attacks. I am doing better with acclimating to it, but still get winded really easily. So I set the run intervals on my interval watch ridiculously low (just 30 seconds) and headed out.

One thing I forgot-my inhaler. My asthma has been really bad in this altitude, and I should never have tried to run even a little without it. Ah well, live and learn. I got a few very short running intervals in and just did what I could. I will give it a try again tomorrow, inhaler in hand.

But the coolest part was my boyfriend...every time he lapped me on his skates, he said, "Way to go honey!" or "WOW, you are doing GREAT!" I can't tell you how much that helped!! And later after we got home, he walked into the livingroom with the sole purpose to tell me how proud he was of me for getting out there and just giving it my best.

I must say, it's super fun and helpful to have a fellow Sparker as my boyfriend, best friend and partner in getting healthy again. He even got up at 1am this morning when he woke and realized I'd forgotten to soak the black beans for our healthy dinner I am making tonight...so there he is measuring beans/water in the middle of the night for me. LOL

Anyway, three 30 second intervals is sure a long way from where I left off when I was doing races and even the uphill one, but my wounded pride over what I've lost in terms of my running ability has held me back for too long now.

Time to get over it and move forward. Yes, I've lost a lot of ground; but I feel confident that rebuilding it won't be as hard as it was to build it the first time.

That's what I hope, anyway....

(Sorry such a long post, but it was a big moment for me to even just push myself in this littlest of ways :)






Edited by: ERLYWA at: 5/21/2012 (13:16)