I have been feeling endorphins.
That's right, people, real genuine endorphins have been released into my brain. How you ask? Because I have been running. Real genuine running! It's true!
A while back I told y'all how I had started the Couch to 5K program, which is this amazing program that slowly works the follower into running longer and longer distances. It also has this groovy iPhone app that not only talks you through the workout, but also tracks you on a GPS, lets you play any audio you have in your iTunes (I listen to NPR Podcasts) and yells at you if you aren't going fast enough!
Well as hard as it is to believe, I'm still at it! True, I got bogged down and veered off course a bit while we were in New York, but I'm back to it now, running at least 3 times a week. As of this week, my run consists of a 5 minute warm up walk, 28 minutes of jogging, followed by another 5 minute cool down walk. I'm covering 2.85 miles, which I think is damned impressive.
I also discovered another app called WalkJogRun, which helps you plot our routes using your GPS. I've been driving Jude to school in the morning, parking the car at the school, and running from there because the neighborhood is much more fabulous and lush and...well...flat. Which is easier.
The only bad thing is that people I know keep driving by me and shouting things like "You GO girl!" which I think they are doing in an attempt to encourage me, but sort of makes me self-conscious and feel like they're thinking "Oh, look at her, poor old thing, running like that. Good for her!" But I might just be paranoid.
And the best thing about my runs? I'm not worn out when I'm done. Tired, yeah. Sweaty for sure. But not whooped. I just shower and feel pretty damned good about myself.
"So Gretchen" you say "This program you're on is the 'Couch to 5K Program'. I know you started on the couch, but where's that 5K?"
Well, glad you asked. On October 28th, I will be participating in the Walk to End Epilepsy 5K Walk/Run!
Many of you already know Elizabeth, the brilliant woman behind the blog a moon, worn as if it had been a shell. Elizabeth's lovely daughter, Sophie, suffers from epilepsy, and I will be running to raising money and awareness for Team Sophie. Sophie's disabilities are profound. Her specific diagnosis is "refractory seizures of unknown origin", which basically means that no one knows why she is the way she is, and no one knows what to do to help her. The bottom line is that for the last 16 years, Sophie has suffered daily from multiple seizures. She must be fed and bathed and dressed and kept clean. She is unable to walk without assistance, and has never uttered a word.
Please join me in supporting Sophie, Elizabeth, their family and thousands of other families like theirs by sponsoring my run!
The more support I get from all of y'all, the less likely I'll be to poop out and collapse.
Please CLICK HERE TO GO TO MY PERSONAL PAGE AND DONATE!
I thank you now for your support!
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Lots of excellent and inspiring Exercise posts this week! Please check them out!
SuziCate at The Water Witch's Daughter
Vandy J at The Testosterone Three and Me
Aimee at AimeeWrites - NEW on FRIDAY!
Nain at View From Down Here - NEW on FRIDAY!
Ginny Marie at Lemon Drop Pie - NEW on FRIDAY!
Jan at Jan's Sushi Bar - NEW on FRIDAY!
Kendra at Life in the slow lane - NEW on FRIDAY!
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Next week on The Spin Cycle...
Hometown
I'm missing my hometown, Austin, Texas, so much I can't stand it. Sometimes I get so homesick and just crave the place in such a deep, visceral way that I get weak.
Where did you grow up? Did you love it? Do you miss it? Or did you get the hell out of there as soon as you possibly could?!
Do you get back often? Never? Do you still live there? Or did you move away and eventually make your way back?
This could be a story about the place, a tour of the place, or just memories of the place. Though I'm thinking pictures are a must.
Write your spin. Let me know. I'll link it here! Next Friday I'll post my spin and let you know the next week's topic.
Share your spin!
Highlight the code.
Copy to your HTML.
Et voila! Linked!
Here's my spin for the week! Spin Cycle Friday! "I work out!" http://viewfromdownhere-viewfromdownhere.blogspot.com/2012/09/i-work-out.html
Posted by: Alaina | 09/14/2012 at 03:41 AM
That is so great, Gretchen! I hope you raise oodles of money! When I think of epilepsy, I don't think of someone as disabled as Sophie, which means we must need more awareness.
My brother-in-law's brother had epilepsy, and when he was in college, he got tired of taking his medicine so he stopped taking it. He died during a seizure. I know it must have torn his parents apart.
My post is up! http://www.lemondroppie.com/2012/09/pounding-the-pavement/
Posted by: Ginny Marie | 09/14/2012 at 05:30 AM
Beloved's cousin is a neurosurgeon who specialized in the treatment of pediatric epilepsy, so I will be more then happy to sponsor your run.
And my spin is up: http://www.janssushibar.com/?p=14574
Posted by: Jan's Sushi Bar | 09/14/2012 at 07:04 AM
http://lifeintheslowlane-kendra.blogspot.com/2012/09/i-have-exercised-demons.html
My post is up.
And I would be very self-conscious if people drove by shouting at me as I was running. I feel dorky enough doing it without people hollering at me!
Posted by: Kendra | 09/14/2012 at 07:48 AM
You GO girl! ;)
Such a worthy cause - a friend of mine had a form of epilepsy - she wasn't diagnosed *specifically* with epilepsy, but did have seizures and they never could figure out *why* she'd have seizures. I witnessed one of her seizures once when I was helping her move - it was scary. Like Ginny said, I never thought of epilepsy as severe as Sophie, so we definitely need more awareness.
Posted by: Stacy Uncorked | 09/14/2012 at 07:52 AM
I run around the park near our house--once around is half a mile. I'm doing two laps right now. In the morning, in the dark, when no one is around to see my looking awkward and totally uncoordinated.
The first few times I ran it I was wiped when I got home. Now I'm tired, sweaty, but like you, not wiped. And I'm toning up and losing weight which is a nice motivator. I still don't like running, but I'll stick with it until weather drives me indoors.
Good luck with your race.
Posted by: VandyJ | 09/14/2012 at 08:28 AM
You are awesome, by the way! Way to go! But running to NPR? I need something a little more upbeat than that so I play my crappy pop music :-)
Posted by: Alaina | 09/14/2012 at 08:56 AM
Go you!! I am LMAO at you running with NPR on your iPod. That's so awesome, I can't even describe its fabulosity.
I asked my sister if she wanted to join you in the 5k, but she's unavailable that day. I so want to hook you two up for a race sometime, though!
Posted by: Aimee | 09/14/2012 at 08:10 PM
I'm pretty damned impressed with you, too! I'm not much of a runner, so to me, running 28 minutes straight is amazing!
Posted by: Patty | 09/15/2012 at 08:57 AM
Awesome! I need to get my butt back on the treadmill. I kept saying I wasn't because I was trying to get Sprite into a routine at school, but school's been in session for over a month now. Think she's got it down? :-)
Posted by: Sprite's Keeper | 09/16/2012 at 11:56 AM
Go, Gretchen, go! You are doing an amazing thing!
Speaking of running, last night I dreamed I ran around my high school track eight times without stopping...boy, was that a dream!
Posted by: suzicate | 09/17/2012 at 04:29 AM
OMG! I can't believe I missed this post! YOU'RE RUNNING FOR 28 MINUTES NOW?
Good lord, I'm so impressed but most of all so moved and thankful that you're running for Team Sophie. I love you much, Gretchen. You really are one of the kindest, most generous people I've ever met.
Posted by: Elizabeth Aquino | 09/19/2012 at 01:03 PM