The first three miles are the hardest

“The first three miles are the hardest.”

Some idiot said that. I think that idiot was me. 

One of the weirdest parts about resuming my running journey is remembering all the little things I picked up the first time around.

Today I ran independent of my Couch to 5K app. I said I’d do 25-30 minutes depending on how I felt.

I. Did. Not. Feel. Good.

After barely peeling myself off the couch all weekend and also concocting a snack consisting of frosting sprinkled with funfetti mix…I knew my body wasn’t going to be happy with me, but this was rough.

My calves were tight.

My feet were achy.

My quads were heavy.

After 20 minutes (that was actually only 2 minutes and 32 seconds), that little voice crept into my head “the first three miles are the hardest.”

I know I’ve been surprised by this before. I know I’ve said this before to others. 

But wow, it’s definitely had to believe that when you’re picking things up again after 6 months of downtime and 4 months of quarantine-induced stress eating. Let me tell you, right now going for two more minutes, let alone two more miles, in order to feel good feels IMPOSSIBLE.

So new runners, I’m there with you. This is awful. But slightly more experienced Melissa circa Sept. 2019 has these words for you: “running is terrible until it’s (mostly) not.”

Long-term it gets better.

Someday you’ll be saying “I’m only running three miles today.”

Someday you’ll be saying “I just have to get through these first three miles and then things will start loosening up.”

But until then…ugh.