Tag: joyofrunning

I quit mid-run and also bought some geese

I quit mid-run and also bought some geese

by Aimee Settlemires ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Every week I devote one day to a long run. It’s usually on a Saturday. It’s usually my favorite type of run. It’s usually at a minimum of an hour. I look forward to it every week. Even on my work weeks I will miss out on sleep, but not my long run. Today those feelings of appreciation and enjoyment were not to be found.

It’s a holiday weekend. Happy Easter. So of course our itinerary is a little bit more busy than usual. Friday was grocery shopping. Then Friday night we have our bimonthly game night with the in-laws. By the time I crawled into bed it was late. I was exhausted. Poor sleep from being on nights during my work week. Poor sleep Thursday from just trying to switch back to days. Then a long day of errands. I felt ran down.

Saturday we were to drive two hours down for my brother’s and sister-in-law’s baby shower. I knew I had to wake up early if I was going to get my long run in. I am not currently training for a race, so I have been keeping my long runs at an hour. I set my alarm for 5 am.

When the alarm went off and my husband hit snooze, I didn’t want to get up. Alarm rings a second time. He again hits snooze. I peel myself from the bed and gather my gear. I stumble through getting dressed. I sit down with my pre-run eggo waffle and coffee. Of course I feel the normal dread before the run. I really want to go back to bed. I know once I get started I will fall into a groove and cruise it out.

I felt so out of sorts. I just skipped my warm up. Figured I would warm up in the run. I couldn’t decide on a Peloton class. I was going to do just a run and listen to a podcast only to realize my podcast was a rerun that I already listened to. I could not get myself in the right head space. I started anyway. Ran then walked. Ran then walked. My shorts riding up. My right knee felt off. Most of all my mind felt off.

All of a sudden I felt sadness that this will be my long run for the week. Full of disappointment and dread. I was going to do walk/run intervals for the whole hour at this point. I couldn’t bring myself to feel good in this run. My shorts were also really making me mad. Just stay down! I hit the 20 minute mark then hit the stop button. This could not be my long run. It was awful.

I know not all runs will feel great. Some I will dread from start to finish. Today I had the opportunity to move my long run. I won’t always be able to do that. For my mental well-being, I am calling today a 20 minute shake out and tomorrow will be “long run Sunday”. Fingers crossed for a better mind set tomorrow.

On a happier note. This weekend we had decided to add ducks to our growing little farm. We currently have a dog, two cats, two fish, and a bunch of cattle who roam the hilltop. We thought ducks would be a sweet Easter surprise for the littles. We went to a couple of stores and came up empty. We tried for a third time and I spied four little ducks. Except not ducks, geese! Clint and me shrugged our shoulders and said “why not?” We brought four sweet little goslings home. They are currently in the basement under a warming lamp. We can’t wait to see how they grow!

Austin’s Shoes and Rotary 5k Recap

Austin’s Shoes and Rotary 5k Recap

by Aimee Settlemires ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

My love hate relationship with 5k races continues. A 3.1 mile race should be easy and short to do, but in the middle of the run I hate that I have once again fallen into the trap that a 5k is anything but easy.

My last 5k race was back in October. I was only 4 months postpartum at the time, and I had only started back running after taking a year off. I was very pleased with the outcome of that race. I ran the whole race without stopping and kept a consistent pace of 10:52.

That was 6 months ago and, except for a small running break in November and December due to sickness, I feel like I have been putting in the work. I started incorporating consistent strength training in January. I have logged runs 3 times a week on the Tread with one long run on the weekends. I was excited to race and see if my training improved my 5k time.

I ran the Austin’s Shoes and the Rotary 5k back in 2023 right before my first full marathon. My finish time was 29.10 with an average pace of 9:14. I placed second in my age group. I wasn’t sure if my fitness level was quite back to that level, but I was ready to get out there and give it my best shot.

The weather wasn’t perfect, but decent for a run. There was a current tornado watch, overcast skies, and some pretty strong winds. Lining up at the start line I prayed the rain would hold off until after I finished.

The first mile is always the hardest. As always I took off too fast. With my pace somewhere at an 8:30 for the first half a mile. I am not an 8 minute mile girl. When I started hitting the first few hills I was already spent. I felt like my breakfast was going to make a reappearance. I listened to my body and took a minute walk break. Restarted my run at a slower pace. This course had some hills. I didn’t forget about the course elevation, but it does sneak up on you.

Somewhere in the middle of mile 2 and in between some terrible hills I wanted to quit all together. I was so hot. (Should have worn at t-shirt instead of long sleeve.) I was so thirsty. I was so done. I rounded a corner and, surprise, I saw the smiling faces of my husband and two youngest kids cheering me on from the playground. Then I remembered that it doesn’t matter if my time or pace is good, it is a gift to be able to run. I powered up the next hill and when I reached the bottom of that I was nearing the finish.

I rounded the last corner and sprinted toward the finish line. I crossed at 31:41. I was drenched with sweat and completely drained. I told my husband “I hate 5ks and I am never racing another.” After I got my official result. I found out once again I placed 2nd in my age group. I was a surprised that I placed and disappointed in myself at the same time that I didn’t get first. “Next year I will get 1st.” My husband: “I thought you weren’t running anymore 5ks?”

I got my trophy and we finished the morning with an early lunch from Chick-fil-a. The frozen lemonade was the perfect ending to a near perfect race.

Rediscovering the Joy of Running After Motherhood

Rediscovering the Joy of Running After Motherhood

by Aimee Settlemires ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This last weekend I was able to run in a way I haven’t be able to run in a long time. For the first time since having my son, I ran a whole 5 miles. I won’t say I was forgetting what running meant to me. However, I did find it easier to make excuses to skip runs. Then I finally pushed myself to get out there and run. While I was on a half a mile walking trail next to my work, I suddenly remembered how much I love this sport.

I have four children. With each child life as a mom looked a little different for me and priorities shifted. This last baby was no different. My whole focus is now a demanding little chunky baby with the bluest eyes and the chubbiest thighs. I understand that this is completely normal. After having a baby, jumping back into getting fit is the last thing anyone wants to do. From 2022 to 2023 I did more running then I have ever done. After training and successfully running my first full marathon I was drained. The pregnancy and the birth of my son was a welcomed break to do absolutely nothing.

After I had my six week check up and got clearance from doctor. I was ready to get back to running, though it felt differently now. I knew I couldn’t just go out and run ten miles like it was nothing. I hadn’t run in over almost year. I felt so defeated all my hard work was just gone. I was starting all over. I was back at square one, and it was overwhelming. Doubt and negativity crept into my brain. I began to tell myself, “Maybe you just had that one good year of running. Perhaps that was it.” I ran a full marathon. I proved to myself that I could do it after feeling like that was something I could never do. I can cross it off my bucket list and move on, though the thoughts of returning to running stayed with me.

I started back with cycling on my Peloton, yoga sessions, and light strength exercises even though things were hard, which just put more fear into me about lacing up my beloved running sneakers. No one was pushing me except me to get back to running. The thought of starting over was horrible. My mind kept returning to “I will just have to start.” I was not going to allow myself to give up running. It may look different after pregnancy, but it wasn’t something I could give up. My first run was a mile that my husband joined me for. Toddler, infant, and puppy all in tow we started down our new drive for our walk/run. A week after giving birth we moved into the house we had been working on for eight plus years. New baby plus moving? It was a hectic, but a blissful, time.

So, I traded out paved city streets for red dirty country roads. The first mile on a different terrain felt tough. The roads had a lot more hills and rocks. It feels more like trail running out here. It was a fun time because my little three year old was running besides me. My three year old was keeping pace with me. That was where I was starting at with running. Granted, he is a pretty fast three year old with actually good form. Possibly a future running partner.

Over the next couple of weeks I went on a handful of runs. A mile or two here and there. Each left me with a feeling of accomplishment of getting out the door. However, I also felt sadness that I was struggling with such a short distances. The entire time I am running I am thinking this is so hard. I am counting the minutes until it was over. I wasn’t enjoying myself.

Then there was the whole getting back to a consistent running schedule and finding the time to run. Before, I would wake up early and run before anyone gets up. Now, I live out in a heavily wooded area with no street lights, no houses gently lighting my path. Just pure darkness. I am thankful for the distance from town. I appreciate the quietness of country life. However, the darkness out here is just different. I have lights but it is still terrifying to run out on these pitch black back roads. If I ran in the afternoons I would take my toddler in the jogging stroller. Now, I have an infant plus the toddler hates the jogging stroller. Afternoons are a no go. Evenings I want to spend time with my family. By the time they are home its again pitch black. Time is a currency that I currently broke in.

I have no time, no consistency, and felt difficulty on runs. It was starting to feel like running is no longer for me. I started questioning my decision. What did I get myself into signing up for a marathon? Before I really started giving running a chance again. Before my body felt like mine again.

I had worked all night. During the hours leading up to 6:30 am, I went back and forth about running after work. I was so tired from working all night. I texted my husband with complaints of feeling sleepy. I missed him and didn’t want to be away from him. He only simply replied “You need to run.” This was not the text I wanted him to give me. I was looking for an out. Give me a reason any reason, just to come home. He knows that after I slept I would be beating myself for not going. I changed out of my work clothes into my running clothes, and nibbled on my graham crackers. Then I finally said all the thoughts I have been having out loud to my co worker. I wondered if it would be okay if I just quit? Would I like myself if I gave up running? Would it be okay if I didn’t run another race or marathon? I asked myself these questions. I didn’t have an answer.

The walking trail near work is just a half mile, but it’s close to work and populated. As a woman, if you know you know. This is what I have to do when I am on shift. If I drove the hour commute home to run, I would just go straight to bed. Despite all the negative feelings. The overwhelming urge to just sleep. I stepped on to that running path that morning with the goal of running 54 minutes. Can I do this? Could I still be a runner?

The first lap does not feel good. I am out of breath and my hips hurt. “In through the mouth out through the nose,” I repeat to myself over and over again. No way I can keep this up for 50 minutes. It’s half a mile, and I am dying. Somewhere between 2.50 and 3 miles I start to find that comfort that feels familiar. By mile 4 I am smiling and it doesn’t even feel like I am running. I am mouthing along to the music lyrics in my ears. I smile at the walkers I pass by, and enjoy watching the sun climb up in the sky. My watch alerts me 54:00 minutes run over, but I am at 4.76 miles and I can’t stop so close to 5 miles. I sprint the last bit and finish right at 5 miles. My average pace for the run was 12.21/mile. When I finished, I was struggling to catch my breath, my heart pound. I grabbed a sidewalk railing to stretch and laid my forehead down on the cool metal. Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes and I could feel the smile on my face. This was the feeling I chasing. I can still run. Running still brings me happiness.

I am still a runner. I will always be a runner.

my favorite running partner and me.

Cash joins me on my short runs of 30 minutes or less. He is still a young puppy, only 5 months. Even so, he runs right beside me. He keeps me company on the days that feel extra hard.