Let's Run

Let me preface this post by admitting that I've become the annoying person who does what I said I wouldn't ever do.

I run.

I run races.

Well, let's be honest about my 'running' to say that I intermittently ran two races. I walked the first one, and interval walked/ran my way through the second one. This time three months ago, I scoffed at the notion of running any sort of race. I hated to run. I never ran unless forced. I'm still wrapping my brain around the idea that I've become the person I admired (a runner) and swore wouldn't do unless my life depended on it. You're probably wondering, "what changed?"

(Left to Right) Linda, me and Sena upon finishing the
Hot Chocolate 15k in San Diego, CA

Nothing. It could be peer pressure and timing. Stupid, plain timing. My neighbor, had an extra bib. She and her friend were going to do a 15k and mostly walk it. I could walk a 15k. Why not?? We did run a few stretches. Some longer than others. We talked about life, and somewhere along the way I started to enjoy the process. At the end, we drank hot coco and gave each other high-fives for finishing.

That was the kicker. The feeling of working towards something and seeing it through to completion. A test of your resilience and desire to overcome an ache and fatigue. Get 'er done. We've all heard the term, "runner's high". I had never experienced it before because I hadn't done any races. I stopped playing sports a long time ago and like most athletes, most of my running was contained to the hardwood and the occasional 1.5 mile run. Several of the runs, I totally shaved a tenth of mile (or few) too.

Now I've downloaded an app. I've started doing a training program. I have run 2x week for the last few weeks. I'm planning on running 3x week starting this week. I ran this morning. It feels good to finish something that I hate to do. I like my job. Most other things I do must be done to function, like cooking or doing laundry. Healthy people would say we need physical activity to function as well. I would respond by saying, we need it to function well, but we don't need it to function. Hence why so many of us are too tired to do it.

I'm going to ride this high for as long as it lasts. The best thing is that it comes back after I complete my next run.