Weak

Yesterday was the first day of spring, and hence (a) the occasion for a new blog color scheme and (b) the first day of the year with run-worthy weather. In late afternoon, I donned my running clothes and tripped over to the park to scuttle around in circles.

Circa 4:45pm, my respiratory and circulatory systems would be represented by a cake that looks like this:


And about 10 minutes later, that cake would have looked like this:


For a more graphic analogy, imagine that my tiny out-of-shape heart is one of these:


And the dirt track around that park is one of these:


Aww, I'm sure Minnie and Mr. Squiggles will be the best of friends.

Basically, I made it to about half a mile before my internal organs collapsed in on themselves. I don't remember having that hard of a time exercising since the timed miles in sixth grade. After that, I joined the middle school track team and started jogging by myself through high school, so I forgot exactly what anaerobic respiration flooding my system with lactic acid feels like.

I didn't think I was in too terrible shape, either. Sure, I spent the last week playing video games and eating through a giant pokeball cake, but I've been walking my miles on the treadmill and lifting my 5-pound free-weights. Apparently, 40 leisurely minutes to the latest episode of Bones doesn't keep one in cross-country shape.

To be fair, when I'm running outside I naturally speed up. It doesn't feel shameful to bring the treadmill down to 5mph if 6 is too strenuous, but it makes me feel silly to shuffle slowly along beside the ridiculously fit college boys and elderly Korean ladies appraising me from head to toe while power-walking. Not to mention the need to put on a show of strength for those large dogs straining their leashes to nip at me. So while I would usually feel the teensiest twinge and hop off to stretch out, in public I pushed to cover distances that were reasonably respectable.

Obviously, I need to work on my stamina. But not today, because that lactic acid is still pooling on my muscles. Today I have to write a group paper that we weren't told was due on Wednesday until midnight last night. That instructor is my favorite person on the planet right now -.-