More thoughts on running

I was headed to bed and then I wanted to write these thoughts down before they were forgotten. 

To many people, especially my colleagues in the fitness community, completing a 5K might not seem like a big deal. My earliest memories of running/fitness were all bad - the dreaded 1 mile run around the hilly "terraces" in grades 4-5 where I'd always nearly be last, only faster than the fat kid; getting hit in the head during basketball and in the gut during dodgeball in grade 6-8. In grade 8 I raised the most money in the school for a 10K walk (which I completed) and when I got an award at the June assembly people were so surprised that I survived a 10K walk. There are people who know me from back in those days reading this - do you remember? I'll even mention when I was cast as a psychotic aerobics instructor in the grade 6 Christmas play and everyone laughed because, "Patty? The music geek? playing an exercise nut?!" Well, life imitates art. 

I started out small. I remember my first official workout in late summer 2000. I lasted all of 30 seconds on the stairmaster before getting very dizzy, breaking out in a cold sweat and having to lie down (what on earth prompted me to choose such a challenging machine to start on, I'll never know). Eventually I joined a gym and started trying all sorts of classes, and enjoying it so much that I became certified in group fitness and then personal training. 

In terms of running, I have improved so much in such a short time. Last May 2-4, Amanda and I tried to go for a jog but lasted maybe 5 minutes before slowing to a walk. In early July, I was huffing and puffing trying to keep up with the other trainers. I only made the decision to start running regularly about a month ago, and I have never failed to meet any health or fitness related goal that I set for myself in the past 7 years. 

So, for those of you who have spent your whole lives active, I applaud your healthy choices because I wish I hadn't waited 22 years to start myself. Today I celebrate how far I have come from the girl wheezing through the 1 mile run. To anyone thinking about changing your lifestyle in the near future - if I can do it, so can you! 

And that 10K walk I managed 15 years ago? I'm planning on running it next spring.