Running

I am not, by nature, a runner. I'm short and stocky. I am not graceful and I haven't got one speck of sports-related talent in my entire body. But I run. I run slowly, clumsily. It isn't a pretty sight! My face gets red, my breath gets short and I sweat like a pig. But I run.

I just finished graduate school, and during the whole course of study my running time was limited by my course schedule and the need for endless study. And I missed running so much - every time I passed a runner (in my car!), I'd experience a pang of envy because I wanted to be that person, out there, running. Now that I am finished with school I am reclaiming my life, and I'm reclaiming my running.

Today I ran seven miles. The first mile, predictably, was tough - I have yet to figure out how to make that first mile easy. And the last mile was tough, as I contemplated a walk break at least three times and pushed through anyway. The middle five miles, though - that was a breeze! I felt strong and confident and really, truly alive. And that feeling is why I run. Well, that, and the whole 'burn 700 calories' thing... that doesn't hurt, either!

I'm hoping that this blog will keep me accountable - even if nobody reads it, it will be my own personal running journal. I'm contemplating some interesting runs in the near future, and I'll post about them here. And I'm hoping that my sister-in-law (and partner in crime) will be inspired by this to join me - she's a great gal to run with!

So, there you have it. Tomorrow is a rest day because today was a long run for me. Thursday is a gym day, and I do a treadmill workout at an impossibly early hour on gym days. Friday OR Saturday will be the next run, depending on my work and home schedule - my sons are coming in for the holidays and I'm going to stay flexible while they're here. We'll see how it goes!