Stop and smell the.... weeds?

 

Ok, so I started. I didn't write yesterday but I did run. 2.49 miles in about 3 days, 22 hours, 15 minutes, and 39 seconds.  Maybe I'm exaggerating just a little bit. It was slow but it wasn't microscopic snail slow.  This morning I ran again despite the overcast weather and rain when I first started. Thankfully the rain didn't last long and I was determined not to quit on day 2 of my reinvention. That would just be sad and pathetic. 

This morning's run was slow and plodding, as result of heavy legs and sore muscles despite the short distance run yesterday. But hey, this is about celebrating a victorious two day comeback to fitness and healthy living. So whoo hooo!  

I ran 2.26 miles this morning, and according to Strava it was at a blistering pace of 12:45/mile.  Mile 1 was at 12:36/mile and mile two slowed to 12:46.  However, being within 15 seconds per mile of each other I'll call that a victory (I'm just looking for reasons to celebrate here).  

Now, for the honesty part. I paused the timer on Strava to stop and smell the roses. Well, there were no roses but there were a lot of wildflowers. One thing I have learned in the 35 years I have been pursuing health and fitness is that you have to find joy in what you are doing or what the hell is the point!?!  I love flowers and even these flowers, that many people consider weeds, add so much beauty and diversity. I love that they provide food for pollinators and are part of the habitat for an array of beneficial insects. I run past thousands of these things on the side of the road, on trails, and rarely ever give them one second's thought or consideration. Today however, they caught my attention and I stopped to smell them, photograph them, and then continued trudging. 

Bee Balm

Queen Anne's Lace

More Bee Balm

Now I have two days down. My legs are sore and tomorrow's excuse will be that I am hurting and need some recovery time.  But really, I can recover on Sunday and use that as my designated recovery day. The goal is to run on Friday and Saturday. I'm proud to announce that my diet has been spot on as well the last two days. Am I losing weight? I don't know, I'll check on Monday morning and let you know. Really, at this point, the name of the game is getting out there and being active. This is more about establishing sustainable habits. Once I've got that down, I'll start obsessing over the scale. This is, after all, a blog entitled "In the Long Run". It's about endurance and never quitting. While I did say that getting started is a big piece of the fight, the real fight is never quitting. So here's to two days with the goal of never having to start again!