Before I had my kids, I used to workout. In a real gym. With actual exercise equipment like treadmills and weights. Not that carrying around a baby who was 15 pounds eight weeks after he was born (Cole) or a toddler who was 25 pounds (Ryan) at the same time wasn’t a good workout, but it wasn’t exactly the same.
After having kids, there wasn’t time for gym workouts. My workouts tapered off into walks with the stroller. This was easier when there was only one baby, because a two-and-a-half year old doesn’t want to ride in the double stroller- no, they like to walk. Very slowly. And while that is fun, it is not a workout.
When it came time to renew the membership, I realized I had been there maybe once during that past year to take the boys swimming in the kiddie pool. It couldn’t be justified to pay for something that was not being used. I cancelled the membership. I still took the boys for walks several times a week, and would get out at times by myself for a longer walk, a short jog, or in the summer, a bike ride.
Over the years, I have forgotten (not sure when exactly) how much I liked and benefited from strength training. I would spend hours each week at the gym working the various muscle groups with weights. Fast forward almost seven years later, and that has been how long since I have done any type of strength/core exercises.
When I was trying to figure out what was causing my shin splints, it made sense that my shin muscles weren’t very strong. When I was talking to Alison about it she made the point that my other leg muscles might not be very strong either, and that could be putting more stress on my shins than necessary. This seemed like a logical explanation, so I have decided the seven year break from strength training is over!
Alison showed me some wonderful stretches and exercises last week her personal trainer had given her, specifically for running. These were designed to use weights, and they targeted not just the legs, but the entire body, and core strength. I was sore from them for a few days, but it really proved the point that several of my muscles groups could stand a lot of improvement.
I’m really excited that Alison’s trainer is going to have a running workshop soon. I am sure I will learn a lot more from her. In the meantime I am taking it cautiously, and working with three pound weights to get started. At home. Because I still don’t have enough time for an actual gym membership, but for the times I can squeeze it in, I am now thinking along the lines of the rec. center.
I really appreciate all the helpful advice and suggestions my friends share with me. To achieve my running goals, I feel like there are all these little pieces of the puzzle that have to come together. By adding strength training back into my routine after all these years, it feels like I found another part of the puzzle! Slowly but surely, I am going to solve the puzzle. One piece at a time.