Skinny Does Not Mean Healthy

When I mention to anyone that "I really need to get back to working out" this is the response 99% of the time: "oh shut up, you're so skinny, you do not need to work out." I'm here to tell you that is a very irrelevant statement. I never said I was fat. I said I was unhealthy. Let me start by stating a few facts;

1. Just because I'm built scrawny does not mean that you can't run laps around me.
2. Just because I'm built scrawny does not mean that you can't pick me up and carry me around when I would struggle with a 10 lb. weight.
3. Just because I'm built scrawny does not mean that I am healthy.

I don't need to lose weight, I don't need to bulk up, but I do need to be healthy. It is not healthy that I struggle with a mile. It is not healthy that I am challenged by 10 lb. weights. It is also not healthy that I tell myself all too often "I could never do that."

Running has always been a challenge for me and in recent years I have trained for and run in a 5K. I loved how running made me feel, but I didn't stick with it. I let it go and now I want to get it back. I felt more energized, healthier, and more accomplished. All you need is shoes and a road and you're good to go! Ok, maybe some music, cute running clothes, a garmin, and access to a treadmill for when that road is frozen... but you don't really need all of that :)

This year I have watched some friends train for half and full marathons. Angela Eubanks constantly amazes me with her ability to just go out and run 7+ miles whenever she feels like it! Right now she is training for a half marathon in the spring. Joy Buckner is another very inspiring friend for me. She just completed her first marathon in Hawaii! Both ladies have been very supportive and encouraging for me to keep running. So much so that I have decided to run a half marathon by fall, 2012. GULP!

This is one of the things that I have always told myself I could never do. I don't usually enjoy proving myself wrong, but in this case I think it's ok. I've decided to share just exactly how difficult this is going to be for me and I welcome any insight/tips/advice from anyone!

The rest of December will just be spent getting casual runs in to slowly ease myself back into it. January will be when the training fun begins ... yay?

So what happened when I set out to run 1 mile today? Felt like I was going to pass out. I had a headache to begin with but for some very ill advised reason thought it would go away after the run. It didn't, it actually gained intensity. Then it started raining. Lovely.

Not wanting to be out in the rain with what felt like hammers on my head, I sped up and completed the awful mile in just over 10 minutes. Not a good idea when you haven't run in oh... say 6 months. I will not be doing that pace again anytime soon - it nearly killed me!

One of my neighbors seemed very concerned and literally stopped mid-rake so I gave a reassuring wave (with my head nearly between my knees). From his very hesitant half wave back, I'm thinking he was really confused so he just stood there as I struggled up the steps to the house.

Not a good first day back at it, but hey, I did finish that 1 mile! Baby steps...