Just Doing It

Running used to be part of my job and I hated it. When I was in my late teens and early twenties and running more than 15-20 miles a week, I did not think much of it. I was told when and where to show up and blowing it off was never an option (well, sometimes I'd come up with a good excuse.) Ugh, but I dreaded it. I hated the long slow runs, the fast short runs, I hated running with the company, with small groups, I hated running by myself. I hated running trails and I hated the track and if I had to run on a treadmill, I'd fall off and cause a scene just to get out of it. I had a friend once that ran in the front of formation with me and we guided a whole platoon over a patch of ice just so we could fall out, because I hated running when it was cold. I really could not stand running when it was hot out though. I hated running shoes. I have witnesses that can attest to my detestation of moving my feet rapidly on pavement. I failed my PT test more times than I care to admit because I hate to run. Two miles was my enemy. Two miles felt like ten and ten miles felt like... who am I kidding? I've never run ten miles. I thought, "When I get out of the Army I will never run again..."

Now I am 36 years old. I hate the sound of it. But I did read once that runners are in their prime in their 30's. I am going to put my faith and belief in that. I hope that it is true. I really hope it is true because for some reason I have decided to run a half marathon in September. My crazy friend Megan did it last week. Last year Karen ran a half on the Great Wall of China. I need inspiration, so I think of them when I run. Today I ran and passed a PT test in my first two miles, then I walked a mile and thought about how I could dig deep and crank out a few more miles. And then I ran another three miles. I finally found the fabled "zone" that everyone always talks about and I know now, today, that I can really do this. I know at the very least I can finish the 13.1 miles walking in a decent time. But the point is that I am going to do it. Just do it. Except not the whole Nike thing, my feet are too fat for Nikes. Wish me luck.