Even though I played two sports in high school, I have never considered myself a "runner." I would often say to people, "I always wished I could just go for a run, but I just hate it." Well, friends, I am going to throw my hesitations aside for a few moments and share with you that I have become a runner.
This summer, the first when I didn't have to head to an office each day, I decided that I needed to spend some time walking. So I went to the park and walked each day - sometimes meeting a group of friends to walk together. A few weeks later, I thought, "maybe I will just jog this flat stretch." Then I thought, "I wonder if I can make it all the way to the road crossing." Things continued in this fashion until the first of September, when I officially ran the entire 3 mile loop without stopping. A few weeks later, I parked at a different spot and increased the run by a half of a mile. Then a friend encouraged me to run a 5K. Today, I ran for 60 minutes. I am not fast by any measure, and I do not run great distances, but I can look at my husband and say, "I am going to go for a run." An old friend stopped in to say hello a few weeks ago, and she asked me about my new hobby. She couldn't believe that I was now running regularly; she had heard many of my exclamations of how I could never be a runner. This had me thinking a bit about what has kept my feet moving. Many days, I don't necessarily want to go, but I do anyway. I have run in the cold, in the beating sun, and in drizzling rain. I could always use the extra hour to work, but instead I run. To the best of my understanding at this point, here are a few things that keep me going: Outdoor time. Study after study reminds us how important it is to spend some time outside each day. I have come to crave this special time. Once when it was raining, I opted to use the treadmill at work. I was MISERABLE, and my run was half-hearted. More than soaking up the vitamin D, I can wave at folks who pass by, I can see the birds, squirrels, ducks, and cranes carry on, and I can hear the water and feel the breeze. It is a great contrast to the rest of my day, where I am usually in front of a computer or teaching under florescent lights. Confidence. The other day, I ran my fastest 4 mile time in the drizzling rain. Again, I am not going to be winning any medals soon for my speed, but I was proud of myself. That day, I did not pass so many people on the path. When I did spot another who braved the bad weather, I felt like we were in a club of the dedicated few. When I found myself alone on the road (which was much of the time that day), I felt like a champion. I was proud of my legs for carrying my body so far. I was proud of my heart and lungs for holding up with my pace. I was proud of my own resolve to continue despite poor conditions. We spend a great deal of each day beating ourselves up for the things we do wrong. This day, I felt proud of what I had accomplished. Competition. In college, my group of friends were pretty sporty. They loved intramural events on campus and sometimes tried to pull me in on the action. I always stayed away, mostly because I was afraid that I would end up looking foolish or disappointing them. I took this to mean that I had become opposed to competition - I didn't like the idea of "winners" or "losers." About a year ago, my husband told me that he actually thinks that I am very competitive. I stay away from group sports because I am uncomfortable with the competitive nature that I do have, and I don't want to give in to it. I think he may be right. Running is a great "sport" for me, because it allows me to be competitive without the need for a loser. I am racing myself, and I always end up on the winning side. Meditation. I saw an article the other day that argued that coloring was close to meditating. I have done my fair share of "grown-up" coloring, and I do see how the comparison can be made. I think running is close, too. I do listen to music, and I don't actually turn off my brain, but I am able to really focus on the run while I am in it. I think about any twinges of pain that I might feel. I think about my breathing and if I need to speed up or slow down. I think about the path ahead so that I can prepare for the incline or enjoy the straight stretch. Mostly, I can turn off the to-do list, the homework assignment, or the mom guilt that normally race through my brain. For the moment, I am not habitually grabbing my phone to see what is new. I am totally focused on what I am doing right then. You may be like the old me, thinking that there is no way you could ever run for 60 minutes. Maybe so. But, if you get outside and do some walking, you may just find yourself picking up the pace. If you do, you may find, like me, that you have created a new practice that gives you benefits that you never imagined.
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Diana CurtisWife, mom, stepmom, writing instructor, handbell ringer, choir singer, calligrapher, and expert napper. Archives
December 2017
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