I used to run. I lived in a lovely neighborhood in a quiet suburb, and I would run walk through the forest on this paved path. I had a 2 mile circuit. It was wonderful. I was finishing grad school, applying for jobs, dating and breaking up with a loser. The run/walk time was precious. I listened to great music and really got a good sweat up. The world seemed nicer.
Then I had a car accident that totaled my car and my neck and may back. I couldn’t walk without pain for many months. And by then, I had met V. And instead of running after work, I was driving to his house to have make out sessions over calculus (Don’t judge. Math is hot).
And maybe, in some way, I was starting to break down. I was beginning to get weak. What good was being healthy and thinner? V loved me in all my curvy-ness. He didn’t care if I was fat or thin. So exercising became less of a priority.
Fast forward 7 years. I’ve dropped 50 pounds. I’m smaller than I’ve ever been. And on a recent walk I had the very distinct urge to run as far as I could. So I did. It wasn’t very far, and I thought I was going to die when I finally stopped. But I did it.
It felt amazing. I was free again. The world, despite all of its nastiness, seemed nicer. My neighborhood has grown accustomed to seeing me walk every day (sometimes twice a day). Now that they see me running and walking, it’s like they are cheering me on (I have the same circuit every time, either flat and long, or down and up a hill (and long)). I get waved at. Neighbors have started saying hello (the ones I see every day).
And yesterday, when I went out for a run and it was pouring rain (literally, pouring rain), I got more than one person honking, as if to say “You go girl! Not even the rain can stop you!”
I’m using an awesome app on my iPhone to track my run/walks, in conjunction with a fitbit pedometer. In the app there is an 8 week 5K training program.
I started it. It’s a good mix of walking and running, aimed at getting you to run an entire 5K, at the end of the 8 weeks. Even if I’m still walk/running at the end of the 8 weeks, I’ll be better off than when I started.
What is it that you love, that you let go of?
What can you start doing to make yourself feel better about the world?
What’s holding you back from it?
Anyone can start from anywhere. I’m proof of that. Just 7 short weeks ago I was barely able to finish a 10 minute walk.
What can you do today to change your life for tomorrow?