Handle Me With Care

Today was yesterday redux.  I made healthy choices all day and then got munchie in the evening.  But such is life for me these days, I know when I'm ready to stop, I will.  And if I see the scale consistently going up and I'm not ready, I'll stop anyway.  I'll just go back to what's worked in the past - no junk food, or anything that resembles junk food, in the house.  If it's not here, I can't munch on it.

My cough flared up today but it wasn't bad enough to skip the gym.  I went after work and it was still nice enough to run outside.  I've been doing all of my gym runs on the treadmill lately.  Not sure why, in the past I would avoid the treadmill like the plague.  So I told myself I was overdue for an outside run and that, in fact, it's easier to do a leisurely, run-by-feel run outside than on a treadmill.  Outside my pace can change incrementally a million times based on how I feel, that's just not doable on a treadmill.  So I hit the road with a plan to run for 25 minutes.  I've been doing 3 miles but because of the cough situation I decided to run for time.

The run started out rough, I was coughing a bit and everything felt difficult.  I turned off my music so I could hear myself breathing and after 4 - 5 blocks I fell into a comfortable rhythm.  I started to remember some of the stuff I've been reading in Born to Run about form.  I focused on just gliding over the ground, no big steps, no bouncing, just a smooth, easy glide, almost like I'm drifting forward.  In the last few minutes of the run I had this odd sensation of wind being at my back, as if I was getting the slightest push from behind.  It was odd in that I couldn't explain it, but the feeling wasn't odd, it was wonderful.  I still remember it as I'm sitting here on the couch, just this little push forward.  I hope I can make it happen again.

After a cool-down walk I headed back into the gym for strength training, legs/shoulders/core.  I like to get jump squats out of the way first because they are such a challenge.  I hyped myself up with my music and then started leaping in the air.  I've been doing them for a while so nowadays I try and jump as high as I can.  Talk about a challenge.  My legs start burning, my heart's racing.  So for my third set I decided to do regular squats with 12 pound dumbbells - they felt so easy!  Too easy even, so I ended up doing a third set of jump squats just to be sure I wasn't slacking.  Wink.

Another from my beach shoot.

When I was done I switched to my Cooldown playlist and started stretching.  I can't tell you how much I get out of this part of my workout.  Years ago (as in, when I was in my 20's) I used to like taking classes (remember Jazzercise?) and I always loved the cooldown at the end, with the relaxing music and the stretching.  So I replicate that at the end of my own workouts and it's a tiny bit of heaven.

I get a bit lost in the music and revel in the feeling that everything I am is just what I should be, that I am perfectly good, perfectly enough.  I breathe in all that's right in my world and breathe out all that I don't need.  I don't consciously think that but I know that's what I'm doing  Just being in the moment, letting my stresses go for a while, and savoring that post-workout satisfaction that comes from knowing I just spent some time taking care of myself - it's so good.  It's my thank you (and my you're welcome) to myself.

And don't underestimate the music.  I have a variety of soft, soothing songs that immediately take me away.  Even if I only have 3 minutes to stretch and cool down, I take it.  If you're not doing this at the end of your exercise I suggest you give it a try.  It's a soft bit of self care after the tough love that was my workout.  And speaking of self care...I'm off to bed.  Night one and all.