There has been a considerable amount of running in my life - mostly "off at the mouth" where a foot is eventually required to plug the verbal onslaught with embarrassing consequences. There has been some running toward, quite a lot of running away. For the past several months I have decided to try running as a way to get fit/lose weight/live longer/set a good example for the kids/find time for me. Turns out running has been a great exercise in self-rediscovery. If I could only stop losing myself to begin with...
There are a few things running has helped me find. My pre-pregnancy waistline, for one. The purpose of exercise for me has always been so I can eat whatever I want, when I want. The bi-products of this primary goal have been many and of surprising merit. I have rediscovered my physical and mental strength, confidence, pride, and maybe, just maybe I am tapping back into my essence, my inner goddess, (dare I say?) my "mojo."
I understood the benefits of running for cardiovascular exercise but the whole training and racing thing was always an extremist activity in my mind. A group of grown-ups challenging each other to a foot race seemed a little immature and nearly bizarre to me. Until I tried it. Training for a race is as much a mental challenge as a physical one and finally, after experiencing it first hand, I can start to understand the passion that fuels the runner. Running a race is a thrill and an accomplishment and it is amazing because, despite all those other athletes running close by, you are running against no one but yourself. Running slows the hands of time and grants the opportunity to engage in a body/mind/spirit collaboration and helps put things (life, love, existence) into perspective. It isn't easy but it gets easier with every week of training that you mark on the calendar taped inside the pantry door.
If a day goes by and I don't run I miss it. I miss the physical challenge, the mental exercise and the emotional expansion. I want all the people I love to experience this feeling of strength and self-satisfaction. Now, how to convince them all they can do it.....?
Thursday, July 16, 2009
the ego has landed
The start line...
My forever friend, bosom buddy, confidant and advisor announced at the start of the year that she would be running in the Manitoba Marathon and asked if I'd join her in entering the 13.1 mile half marathon. I agreed, thinking she would certainly change her mind before we had to put our money down. By the time the end of March came she was still talking like she was going to race so I began to train. From scratch I started a regiment to get in half-marathon shape. After a few false starts I began to find my groove and (gasp!) started to enjoy the challenge. We crossed the finish line a month ago but I have found myself still running. I'm hooked. I'm addicted to the self-satisfaction running provides every time I lace up from watching the body morph to feeling the endorphins drown my brain.
I was removing the calendar pages I had made up to keep record of my training progress from the inside of my pantry door. A quick calculation put my running miles near 200. With pages clutched in hand I was at a Mexican stand off with myself. The tape was still sticky! I could put the pages back on the door! The garbage can was less than a foot away... I could throw them out! In my mind's eye I could see my husband's eye brows lift while he asked what on earth I need to keep those pages for. But what is that I sense? A slight tugging at my gut and a twitch in my eye? Enter Ego! Haven't heard from you in a while what with being busy being Mom and Wife.... Ego implores - no, INSISTS there be some kind of record of this new part of our life.
Hello Blog!
As a way to track progress, a tool to motivate and a forum to ponder life matters - running and otherwise - I hope to maintain this discussion. Anything to keep this prairie girl running...
My forever friend, bosom buddy, confidant and advisor announced at the start of the year that she would be running in the Manitoba Marathon and asked if I'd join her in entering the 13.1 mile half marathon. I agreed, thinking she would certainly change her mind before we had to put our money down. By the time the end of March came she was still talking like she was going to race so I began to train. From scratch I started a regiment to get in half-marathon shape. After a few false starts I began to find my groove and (gasp!) started to enjoy the challenge. We crossed the finish line a month ago but I have found myself still running. I'm hooked. I'm addicted to the self-satisfaction running provides every time I lace up from watching the body morph to feeling the endorphins drown my brain.
I was removing the calendar pages I had made up to keep record of my training progress from the inside of my pantry door. A quick calculation put my running miles near 200. With pages clutched in hand I was at a Mexican stand off with myself. The tape was still sticky! I could put the pages back on the door! The garbage can was less than a foot away... I could throw them out! In my mind's eye I could see my husband's eye brows lift while he asked what on earth I need to keep those pages for. But what is that I sense? A slight tugging at my gut and a twitch in my eye? Enter Ego! Haven't heard from you in a while what with being busy being Mom and Wife.... Ego implores - no, INSISTS there be some kind of record of this new part of our life.
Hello Blog!
As a way to track progress, a tool to motivate and a forum to ponder life matters - running and otherwise - I hope to maintain this discussion. Anything to keep this prairie girl running...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
