So I'm starting a blog.  Yay.  Mostly to capture my experiences while (mainly) training and preparing for a half marathon in February 2012, but we'll see where it goes from there.


I signed up for this 50 Miles in July challenge.  It's supposed to be RUNNING 50 miles in July, but realistically, that is next to impossible at my size.  So my goal is to run/jog/walk/MOVE 50 miles in July.  That's 50 set miles, not including walking around the mall or work or anything like that.  Fifty miles of dedicated exercise.  We're on Day 2 and I've done 5 miles so far.  


That being said, I want to write about my experience at the gym this moring.  It sucked.  First of all, when I've been doing my Couch 2 5K training, I am running outside.  (Disclaimer:  whenever I say "run" or "running", I really mean "jog" or "jogging" but running just flows better and to be honest, sounds cooler. :D)  Back on topic, I usually wear a men's sleeveless Tshirt... not a tank top, just a tshirt with no sleeves.  The arm holes are big so I get some air into my midsection.  It's cotton, so I sweat a helluva lot, but somehow, it works.  I also usually wear mesh exercise shorts.


This morning while getting ready for the gym, I decided to try wearing some old black cotton shorts.  WTF was I thinking?!  I also wore a different shirt than I usually do... a somewhat tighter one, with sleeves.  Now, I have NEVER liked running on a treadmill (always preferred outside), so why would I wear worse clothing to do something that I already am miserable doing?  Needless to say, I set the treadmill on a 5K loop setting, at about 1.5 miles in, I started feeling faint and just overheated.  I was extremely sweaty, moreso than usual, and I felt so constrained in my clothes.  Because of the aforementioned 50 Mile challenge, I really wanted to push to 2 miles so I did, and then I stopped.  I was somewhat disappointed in myself for not completing the 3.1 miles, but I just physically couldn't.


I have several other issues with running at the gym:
1)  Too many people around, some people are talkers, and they just won't shut up!  It's hard for me to focus, concentrate, and get into my running zone with so many distractions, even with my music turned up.
2)  I get competitive and then discouraged when I'm not as fast as someone else who is on the machine next to me.  I should look at it as a challenge and something to use to push myself further, but it just doesn't work that way.  I know at this point I can't physically run at 6.0 or higher on the treadmill so I get discouraged that the fastest I can comfortably jog for a long period of time is 4.2.
3)  I hate the treadmill because I feel like I'm not GOING anywhere.  I'm running in place which gets BORING.  I also hate it because I feel dizzy when I get off of it.  I also hate it because those numbers on the screen are staring back at me and they are discouraging but the best I can do.  I could cover them but then I'd be covering the fan and trust me, I NEED THAT FAN.


So anyway, today's experience at the gym was unpleasant to say the least.  I'm going to have to, somehow, get my 50 miles in while running outside.  Might have to add some side roads to my usual 3.1 mile route that I do for C25K just to get some more distance in.  Not sure yet.  But I WILL succeed at this challenge.