Getting Back Up On That Horse

Since I was 13, I have been a runner. In fact, if you ask me to pick ten words to describe myself, "runner" would definitely be among them. Along with reader, short, and snotty. It's just always who I have been.

This is not to say that I have always loved running. Oh, no. I began running in middle school under duress. I committed the cardinal sin of lying about my mile time in p.e. and my father set his mind to teaching me what it would be like to actually run a 7:45 mile. All summer, we'd run four times a week. By the end I was running four miles at a time and my mile time was under 6 minutes. I actually started to like it (not that I told my dad this.) I especially liked being faster than all the boys in school.

During high school, I ran track, though, to be honest, I never showed my true potential.

Along came college, and 25 pounds my freshman year. To avoid that again my sophomore year, I started running and it became a routine over the next five years.

There are a few "truths" I have come to learn and appreciate about running:

* Quiet time, even if painful, is a blessed thing
* I may hate myself for starting a run, but I'll feel pretty awesome when finished
* It is mandatory to hold oneself up and pick the pace when encountering another runner
* Getting a new running outfit can invigorate the whole process
* If I can run a 10K, I can live through pretty much anything
* Life may force me to take a break every once in a while
* Running will always be waiting for me

This year, I am the primary care giver during the evenings. And I've been really consistent about keeping up with the exercise. However, I've ran 5 times since school started. It's pretty much been all DVD's, which are fine, but they are definitely losing their luster. Quite literally, I can close my eyes and do the routines just based on the music.

Self magazine has a yearly event called the Self Challenge. It's basically just an online log for working out and eating. The workouts include both cardio and strength training. The cardio ones are great for getting back into shape because they are all interval training.

So, like the last couple years, I signed up today, and I'm about to head out to get some running pants. Shorts are just not going to cut it right now. Burrrr.

I'm ready to return to my old friend, running, and get started again. It won't be pretty, I'm sure. In fact, it'll be red-faced, sweaty, and swear-filled. But I know I'll feel better when I'm done. Every time.

Day 3

Of my new self-flagellation tour: running in the morning. Before work. At 6 am.

I came to this decision grudgingly. It's unbelievably hot. The air is awful. And I need to exercise desperately.

So Monday I started with a half hour run down the path right outside my new home. Seriously, you couldn't ask for better. Here's how it went:

5:45
Alarm goes off. I react with uncharacteristic irritation. Hit snooze.

5:50
I get out of bed.

6:00
I head out the door (yes, it took me ten minutes to get out of bed...shush.) I head out to the path. It's not exactly chilling but I don't smell any smoke, so that's good. I pick the left side and head out. I am feeling pretty good about myself.

6:05
I'm still feeling proud, but I am surprised at how fast I'm not going. Guess I had a different image in my head.

6:10
I'm no longer feeling good about myself. I am an idiot. I have looked at my watch (bad idea) and realize I have 20 minutes left.

6:12
I am a b-word.

6:15
I get to turn back now! Things are looking up!

6:20
Now that I am less concerned about dying, I have noticed that there is some pretty dang impressive nature around at this time of morning. I see a mother duck and her babies (I'm assuming they are hers, but who knows), some tall skinny bird thing (I am not going to even pretend I know what it was, but it was pretty), and a snail migration. Pretty sure some of those suckers were going faster than me.

6:30
I finish my run. Not a great finish. Just more of a sputtering out. But it's done...at least until the next day.