I just came back from a 5.5 mile interval run with my friend Amber. For us that means three to four min of running and then two minutes of brisk walking. Mostly, I'm just trying to get used to what 5.5 miles feels like without actually killing myself. The plan is to be able to run it by the end of the summer, and then start training for the half marathon in the fall.
I so often have people tell me "I am just not a runner." Well, me either. Never have I had to work so hard at being barely mediocre at something.
My legs are short and not terribly flexible. If there is even 5% humidity in the air, I feel as if I'm breathing water and have always had a hard time getting air into my lungs. I don't have a runner's body at all.
But there is something about running that feels good. Ok, not the actual running part, but the feeling of accomplishment when I reach a goal. At first it was one mile. I thought when I was able to run one mile without stopping, I had arrived. (Arrived at what? I have no idea. The one mile marker on the course I suppose.) Now, one mile seems pointless. If I'm not grabbing at three miles, it's really not even worth my time. My brother in law calls this my tipping point.
It is amazing what God gives us the capacity to accomplish. As I've gotten older, I've really started trying stuff. Creative stuff. Physical stuff. Stuff that allows me to get my hands dirty and revel in what God equips us with on a daily basis. (Although I am still OUT on sushi.)
I will most likely never run the Boston marathon. Personally, I don't see the point of running for hours on end, but I never thought I'd be training for a half marathon either. So, who knows. But I will keep trying.
I am a runner. And it rocks.