Expect the Unexpected

I remember when I first started running back in March. Things went awesome the first couple days of my 5K Runner App. It was kinda easy, awesome to know that I could do it, and it was kinda fun and definitely exciting.

Then it got harder.
"Well, duh," you say. "If this you're really a first-time runner, chances are it'll be hard."

I think the biggest challenge I had (other than the challenge of getting the motivation to get my butt up and out the door, which I still face!), it was my legs itching like CRAZY!

After a bit of the itchy legs, I decided to look it up. Then I found this little gem: Embarrassing Running Problems. It covered not only the itchy legs but also things that I didn't know. Or things that, when looking back, make a lot of sense! (See number 3: Runner's Trots... Insert inappropriate joke here about "going number three")

There were also things that I didn't expect. One of the things that isn't listed... My arms itched! My ARMS, people! But of course, if you have arms then chances are that they're involved in your running, too. Not quite as important as your legs, but still pretty important. I know mine are. They play a big part of my personal running form, that is, the form that keeps me feeling and moving the best that I can.

But holy geez, the thing that I really wasn't expecting... Was the nasty abdominal cramps.
Yeah, yeah, I know, I mentioned "runner's trots". And if you run or at least read up on running and/or know a good deal about the body, chances are you know about them, too.
But these cramps... These are NOT what you find under the usual definition of "runner's trots", because it's definitely *just* cramps... But let's face it, I don't like ANY kind of cramps, whether it's in the legs, sides, or related to my menstrual cycle. It's just not fun.
It's always post-run, although that could be because my average runs are about 3.5-4 miles at this point.

I can't even describe just how freaked out I am at the possibility that my current "post-run" cramps may turn into "mid-run" cramps when I hit up the longer run times/distances. I just can't.

On that note, it seems that my current post-run cramps are finally easing up, all of 2 hours post-run. I'm off to check out possible solutions for said cramps, and see if they're related to things I'm doing daily that I could change. Or if I just need to take something for it.

On the bonus side, I know it's not from Gatorade.but I'm pretty sure there's no going back to that. Especially not mentally, just because I keep remembering the pain. Oh, the horror...

That's all for now! :D