The story goes like this:
Once upon a time, there was a girl named Susan, who hated to run. All her life, she was last in every race. One time, in intermediate school, she was second-to-last, and it was a proud moment. She was also last on every hike, the one saying, "How much longer to the top?" for most of the journey. When she entered the mission field, her first companion tried to drag her out running at 6:30 every morning, but the most she could ever manage was about 1/4 of a mile. Kicking and screaming at that. For several decades, Susan shunned any form of running, preferring any other kind of exercise, like biking, swimming, or walking. Even mountain climbing, which was pretty much her downfall. Get it? Downfall? Chortle chortle.
Fast forward to now.
She is me.
Lately, I have been doing a slow jog while my walking companions do a fast walk. It is easier on my leg somehow. And, because I have been without a walking buddy quite often, I got this harebrained idea to start running. I've been out maybe five or six times now, gradually increasing my distance. Today, I racked up a whole 2.48 miles. How do I know, you ask? This cool web site, mapmyrun, lets me calculate my every step. The only thing is, I do not feel like a runner. When I see my friends out running, they look all elegant in their running clothes and their ipods and their long runners' legs galloping along like they're hardly touching the road. Me, I feel like Winnie the Pooh, who has tired of his stoutness exercises and has decided to try jogging only it's more like gallumphing or lumbering and he can hardly lift one leg off the ground in time to get the other one in front of him and he's huffing and puffing so hard that he thinks he might pass out before he can drag his big old bum home to his honey pot.
That's what I feel like when I'm running.
And today, I was about halfway through my groundbreaking run and passing my driveway when I realized that my right shoe had not been in shadow the whole time, but was a different shoe from the one on my left foot.
Now, you can see how I might have made that mistake.
Right?
Maybe a quick jog to the ophthalmologist? LOL!
ReplyDeleteI can totally see how you would make that mistake. They are very similar shoes. Good for you for running. I hate running and will do anything to avoid it all cost.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand this post. I've been running (rather reluctantly) for 6 weeks now. I can't run anywhere near 2.4 miles but I'm running but I feel so slow and ungainly. My husband and my daughter lap me and my daughter also lovingly 'walks' next to me while I run to 'encourage me'. I don't feel elegant, but I am proud that I am doing it! Go for it Sue!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLOL Nana's rubbing off. All these people I know that run have almost inspired me to start, but then I remember that I hate it.
ReplyDeleteHow fun and eccentric! Yay for running!!!
ReplyDeleteRunning ability was given to people to escape danger, powered by an adrenaline rush. Walking gets one from point A to B to Z, much less sweaty and knees and ankles intact. Emergency running I will do, I flatly refuse to think of running as any type of enjoyable...So I guess I am Winnie the Pooh's relation!!
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