At three-thirty this morning I woke up from awful menstrual cramps. At five-twenty this morning I woke up from Minerva pouncing on my face and licking my sunburned shoulder1. At six on the dot I woke up from my alarm, then hit the snooze alarm and woke up twenty minutes later with intense menstrual cramps accompanied by an almost-as-intense ache in my lower back2. The cramps and backache persisted throughout the morning (despite four Midols and plenty of water). And because of my sunburn, it hurt to put on a bra. Yet none of that stopped me from going with Dan to the YMCA this afternoon to work out. I’m nothing if not determined to do something when I want/need to do it, damned my own inconvenience — and in this case, pain. Yes, putting on the sports bra hurt. Yes, each vigorous step/run3 hurt my back and rattled my poor uterus around, and when I started to sweat my sunburn stung, but it was all well worth it. I’m sure a medical professional in a lab coat would agree. Well, maybe.
Can you tell I felt like crap? Hah.
Dan and I are going to the YMCA again on Thursday, and I can’t wait. 
- OUCH#!$% ↩
- The more “in shape” I get the worse my PMS and period symptoms/pains get. Seriously, this is the first ever backache I’ve had in association with my period! ↩
- On Sunday I ran for a minute on the treadmill, and today I ran for two. Whoo hoo! I haven’t willingly run — except to chase after wayward kids — since I was a kid! ↩
Have to say I wish I had that determination these days. Good for you though for sticking it out. Once you get into the routine of going its easier to keep going.
Have you heard of the C25K training program? It’s designed for people that have never been runners and trains them so eventually they can run 5km (not sure how far that is in miles). I’m just past halfway with the program but I can see how much success I’m having already, I’m running for longer than I ever have before. In the beginning it’s incredibly easy, you run for a minute, walk for a minute, run for a minute etc. It’s a great introduction. Maybe you should take a look? There’s phone apps that will tell you when to run/walk, and you can even download music playlists that will play faster/slower music depending on when you’re meant to be running and walking.
I need to get back into going to the gym! I shall start tomorrow.
Yay! Way to go Jenn!! I love your determined face :P.
Exercise is supposed to be good for menstrual cramps. I know that when it’s coming for me, I try to exercise a couple days before and during to help relieve the pain.
It only gets easier from here!