NEWSOK! BLOG: Loni Works It Out — An Ode to Running
April 9 2010, Published 10:00 a.m. ET
Here’s the latest installment of Loni Works It Out, where OK!’s Beauty and Health Editor Loni Albert chronicles her trials and travails as she attempts to slim down like a superstar. Follow her on OKmagazine.com every week and on Twitter!
I have a confession: I've been really, really bad. These past few weeks have been rough on me (cue the violins) jam-packed with work drama, family stuff and health issues.
I'll spare you the gory details, despite my friend's suggestion to have a melodramatic posting in which I spill my guts and, with 600 words, end up conquering some huge mental, emotional hurdle. Sorry, bud, not how I roll.
As a result of these somewhat trying times, my diet and workouts have been less than A-list. Cut me some slack. Actually, don't. Instead, remind me of how I need to get my butt in gear, since there's only a month left of my transformation, and since I am not shooting a major motion picture nor a Sports Illustrated cover, I can use all the motivation I can get.
LONI WORKS IT OUT: GIMME SOME SUGAR!
At times like these, when the going gets tough, I always resort back to an old love of mine. (No, not him. Not him, either.) I mean running. And our relationship has been quite a bumpy road. Hate, love, separation, obsession — lots of phases that should never occur between two people unless you have lots of time and money to spend on couple's counseling.
When I first started running, I could barely get up the block. I felt awkward, like I was "doing it wrong." I got all hot and uncomfortable, couldn't figure out how to breathe, and basically wished I was doing anything else. But since I'm kind of crazy, this hatred inspired me to get better. I started running every day, and sure enough, about six months later I could run up to five miles and barely feel tired afterward. I felt great and had tons of energy. But I was mostly addicted to how it cleared my head. Sometimes I would intentionally leave my iPod at home and just listen to the rhythm of my feet hitting the pavement, car tires rolling through puddles, and the sounds of the world around me as I passed by.
LONI WORKS IT OUT: I AM UNSTABLE
Now I am resorting back to my runnin' ways, more so for the therapeutic benefits than anything else, but of course the cardio never hurts. And I recently challenged my fabulous family to hit the trail, too. We've all signed up for a 5k about two months from now to stay inspired, and I must say they are doing so great! My little sis (Dina, who you met in my "Hola from Cancun" posting) was already a track star with a rockin' bod, but my Mom (who insisted she could NEVER run) and my Dad (who basically just hates doing it) have been running together! Um, how cute is that? And they're doing SO well! I'm so proud of them!
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LONI WORKS IT OUT: READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP! (WELL, ALMOST)
So I'm going to challenge you to do the same! Dust off your running shoes and get moving. Find a 5k or 10k race in your area at runnersworld.com and give yourself a date to work up to. And for those of you that are positive you absolutely will never be a runner, I refer you to my foolproof anti-runner training plan: the famous Couch-to-5k plan on coolrunning.com and also suggest you give yourself some more credit! You can do anything you WANT to do. You just have to want it. I'll leave you for now with these somewhat relevant quotes:
"Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're probably right."— Henry Ford
"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for 20 years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." —John Bingham
If you have any questions hit me up on Twitter @LoniWorksItOut and I’ll answer anything — promise!
