Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Wall

When Lee goes running with me, he often instructs me on "the wall": that place where you feel like you can't run any farther, but if your husband is with you he makes you keep going anyway because he's mean, but then in five minutes you realize you're doing just fine and feel awesome and maybe husband was right.
Pisa
Walls in Europe are extra pretty. Even the leaning ones.


As part of my ongoing struggle with running, I had been going through a phase where I decided not to tackle the wall. If I just took it easy and avoided the wall then I would be happier, run more, and improve more. Except I didn't start running more and I still ran at the pace of a fast walk.

So after months of running rarely and always stopping for a walk break after a mile, on Saturday, I ran through the wall, and ran my whole loop of 2.18 miles without stopping! We don't need to discuss my pace (Okay, it was 12 minutes.), but I ran a little over two miles without stopping! If that doesn't deserve a handful of cookies, I don't know what does! (Curing cancer definitely. Also, completing your EGOT. How did I not know before that Audrey Hepburn is an EGOT-er?!)

But I don't think metaphorical walls are just present in athletic activities. I hit walls every afternoon, Monday through Friday, right after lunch. And last night I came home and was convinced that I would not be able to get anything done on my to-do list (Hello, chore chart!) and would probably just wind up being lazy and frustrated at my laziness all night. Somehow though, I managed to give Zoey her bath, and after that, I had a sudden burst of energy! I conquered my "I've been sitting at a desk for eight hours and am now incapable of accomplishing anything" wall and crossed most of the things off my to-do list! In under an hour too! I am master of wall conquering! For the past 72 hours at least.

(You get a virtual pretend cookie if you thought this post was going to be about The Greatest Wall of All Time. I'm looking at you Pinju.)

Edited to add: I ran 12 minutes per mile, not two miles in 12 minutes. Oops! That would've been pretty awesome though!

9 comments:

Han said...

Being able to run a 6 minute mile is awesome! According to Wikipedia, no women has yet broken the 4 minute mile. so 6 is awesome! (and you'd be leaving me behind in a cloud of dust!)

Katie said...

Oops! Let me clarify! I ran a 12 minute mile. My total time was 26 minutes.

virginia said...

Great post - I definitely get that lethargic, "I'll just quit now" feeling.

One of the best study tips I ever got, which is super-applicable to real life, is to tell myself that I'll just do something for 10 minutes - work out, do chores, start a work assignment I've been procrastinating on. Once I've done my ten minutes, I'm in the groove and usually finish out the task. For me, it's overcoming the inertia that's a challenge.

stefanie said...

Awesome!!!! I know what you mean by hitting the wall. It happens to me all the time while I run. Recently I have tried to improve my pace because I had been hovering around the 10 min/mile mark. Today I pushed myself and hit 9 min/mile. It was amazing but it took me almost 2 months to get there.

Katie said...

Ginny -- 10 minute goals are generally how I get started working again after lunch. That would make the best nap time though.

Stefanie -- Congrats on making the 9 minute/mile mark! I'm going to try a 5K in May and I'm hoping to be in the 11 minute/mile or better by then.

Unknown said...

My wall is just starting to run in the first place. After being a chubby elementary school kid years ago, I keep telling myself that I am not a runner and I don't like running. I need to get over that!

angela.kolachny said...

I agree, great post! That's awesome that you and ur husband have a buddy system to keep you going! Sometimes us girls just need a little "push" to realize that we can do just about anything:o)

Pin said...

Hah, guilty as charged! Totally thought this post was going to be about John Wall. :(

More bad news for me: I told my co-workers that I've started running, and now they want to run with me... which means I can't take "walking breaks" when I get tired. This is going to be a disaster.

Katie said...

I love you Pinju! :) Good luck with your new running buddies!