It wasn't pretty, but I was running!

I am proud of myself. It's not often I say those words, and maybe I need to learn to do a better job at that. But today, dammit, I am proud of myself. I ran for the first time in years! ok, maybe the term ran is not the correct word to describe what I was doing, but I don't care. All I know is I was going faster than my normal hobble, so I am counting it as running.

This mission started after I had a conversation with Robin about getting my butt up off the couch and doing something. God bless her, she was trying! She suggested walking around the block, but oh my goodness, that's so boring! Then she suggested riding my bike and following her as she ran her ten mile run. Well, I don't know about you, but that held absolutely no appeal!

At that point she left me in my lump on the couch and took off. So, there I sat, thinking back on my glory days when I used to be able to run. I could do almost anything, but then I let old age creep in...as well as a few pounds, and here I am... sitting on my butt. To say I was a bit frustrated is an understatement.

So, Sunday I woke up and decided I was going to go on a hike/run. Robin would go off on her running trail to the left, and I would take off to the right where no one could see me. I warmed up for about a half an hour with a good steady hiking pace, and then decided to give it a go. I looked all around to make sure no one would be able to witness this first attempt and then took off up the hill.

In my mind, I was one of those beautiful, nimble runners you see who look like they weight about a hundred pounds and float over the rocks. Well, I wasn't anything close to that, but doggone it, I was running.

My legs felt like they each weighed a hundred pounds as I tried to actually lift them. My lungs were screaming, "what the hell do you think you are doing?" And man, it felt perfect. I didn't go very far, maybe like a hundred yards up the hill. But man, for those few seconds I felt like a runner. Now, I won't even complain about my calves and how they locked up a few hours later, because was still basking in the glow of my run!

Who knows, maybe next week I will have to fill up on a bowl of pasta like the real runners so that I can shoot for maybe going for a 200 yard run! Don't you love it!