I'm baaaack!!

Okay, when I got up this morning, the excuses started - too cloudy, might rain,
I got up too late (?), maybe tomorrow.  Instead I suited up and out I went.  I
walked to a less busy street and began to jog slowly.  I felt pretty good and
I remembered that the road passes by a lot faster the faster your
feet move.  I did the usual mental game of running to a certain
landmark and then walking for awhile.  I did
this three times in a mile (I know, big deal) and am ready for more.  I also
knew that I was really back when I swallowed a bug - I had forgotten
about that part and I'm sure more will come back to me but for now I
am pumped and going to clean my house while I'm already sweaty.

Ready to Run - I remember the excuses

The goal has been made, written about, considered a lot and now it is
time to get moving!! Of course, a few things came up, like life itself.
I did walk today for a couple of miles and had excuses for not being
able to run, went to the dentist, etc.  Tomorrow is the big day when
I leave the house (early, in the dark) and see how much of a mile I
can run - hope I am back in time to blog about it during daylight!!

The Beginning

I started running after I quit smoking quite a few years ago.  I had the normal
goals of entering a 5K race and hoping that I wouldn't be last.  Because I
live near Flint Michigan, a popular goal here is to run in the Crim Festival
of Races that is held in August.  The main event is a 10 mile run with lots
of hills.  I entered it, hated it, loved it and ran it over and over.  Along the
way I was bitten by the marathon bug and ran three of them.  They are
great but the training takes a lot, I mean a lot, of time and dedication.
I also began to get a lot of injuries the more miles that I ran.  I was
never very fast, usually in the middle-of-the-pack, but a part of
my self-image was wrapped up in being a runner.

After a stress fracture in my foot left me sidelined for awhile, it was
very hard to get running again.  Of course, I still ate like I was a
marathon runner and the pounds began to pile on.  Then it is even
harder to gather the energy and discipline to run.  So I walked,
I walked with friends and in the neighborhood and told myself
that it was fine.  I wasn't getting injured, I was older and didn't
need all of that sweating to make me happy.  But a tiny part of
my heart still wants to run.  So as I sat at the Crim expo this year
I began to dream of running and doing a blog about it.  You'll need
to cheer me on because it will be hard, but I feel so excited about
the challenge (not too much excites me these days) and am looking
forward to sharing this with everyone.  Will write again soon........