Think you can...

...or think you can't, either way, you're right.

Another of my favourite quotes, and yet, one I so rarely manage to heed when it comes to myself.

And yet another reason why hiring Shawn was a good idea. He thinks I can. And he won't let me get away with thinking I can't. At the very least, he doesn't care if I think I can't.

I enjoy running, but I don't consider myself very good at it. On my own, I've been pushing myself up to about twenty minute stints, running at three minute intervals. Certainly not a marathon runner, but something. More than I could do when I started, admittedly. But, in retrospect, it really wasn't pushing myself.

Last night, as I was warming up, Shawn came over with one of those smiles that always makes me get a little worried and a little nauseous... and announced that since we had such a beautiful night, he was taking me on a run to Victoria Park.

The route he planned out was approximately seven kilometres, round trip, with a trip up and down the horrid Jacob's Ladder, a 120-step staircase, in the middle. At a run. My own run is about three kilometres, takes about twenty minutes, and doesn't have stairs. And I walk a lot of it. Oh yes, I was scared. I was nearly wetting myself, I was so scared.

But I did it. Okay, I had to take a couple of breaks, and walk a bit (not much - Shawn wouldn't let me walk for much), but I did it. I ran for more or less an hour.

This morning, I'm sore, stiff, still a little tired... and I feel great. I don't think this is the runner's high Shawn was talking about (good God, that man can talk - I don't think he shut up the whole time; I had to conserve every breath for... well, breathing, and he just kept on chattering like we were having coffee), but it is definitely a high. I've got a pretty nasty cough, which I think is dredged up from the last vestiges of my cold, but I'm hoping it's just the last of the crap working its way out of my chest. I'm going to pick up some zinc lozenges at lunch, I think, and see if they help.

The run also gave me a much-needed chance to talk to Shawn about some of my bigger goals now, and some of the challenges I'm facing. In a normal training session, we don't have that opportunity, because he's so busy teaching and making sure I don't hurt myself and I'm so busy trying to learn and not drop anything on my foot or his feet. He's a runner, so obviously he's well placed to teach me to run (and off to a very good start), and was very enthusiastic about my idea of becoming a fitness instructor (even offered to be my guinea pig if I ever wanted to try designing a program). I'm actually so energized by it all that I've actually started looking into what I'd need to do to become a fitness instructor, and might even try getting at least my Nutrition and Wellness Certification the next time the course is offered in this area. I also got to at least mention some of the difficulties I face with the lack of personal support, and it was reassuring to hear the words I've been telling myself come from someone else. I know that likely sounds silly, but it helps.

Chiropractic appointment today - have a couple of questions I must remember to ask Dr. Mike. Seriously looking to invest in at least one new notebook, as by the time I got to the end of my run last night, I was so tired I had completely forgotten the questions I wanted to ask Shawn. Go me.

Last night was definitely fun though. And a definite high.