One year ago today, I graduated from Couch to 5k by running a hard, hot, awesome 5k with a friend.
Today, I began the day with a smooth 8 miler -- a distance I've ran three times in the last 5 days.
As I said in my facebook post today, I never thought I'd find a new love after 40 since I have already found my one and only true love, my husband. Then I started this nutty running thing. Even though I'd always hated running. I just decided, and once I decide something, well, it's pretty much going to happen eventually one way or another.
I still don't really know why it happened. Just somehow it clicked. I set my mind to do that c25k thing. It was 9 weeks. 27 runs. 30 minutes three times a week. How bad could that be?
It was pretty bad. OK, it was insanely hard. But, somehow, between the cursing at the squirrels, the sweating like a pig, the raw chub rub between my thighs, the injuries, the expenses, the PT . . . well, somehow, I met this person I really like. It was the new me.
I can't quite put a handle on how much running has come to mean to me. It is a beautiful, terrible, hard, blissful thing. Nothing other than loving my husband and children has meant more to me as a human being, or changed me more, than this running thing.
It's not a way to lose weight (although it does that, too). It's not a way to meet friends (although it does that, too). It's not a way to get 'me time' (although it does that, too).
No, it's so much more. It is meditation on the move. It is 'digging deeper' on a spiritual level that strengthens my character and cleanses my spirit. As I run down the trail, I lose a lot of things. I lose my anger. I lose my perfectionism. I lose my worries. I lose my hopelessness. I lose the ability to focus on the negative.
I find a lot of things, too. I find little parts of my better self. I find some nice parts of other people, too.
I have a lot more miles left in me, and I am looking forward to finding more parts of myself and more parts of the rest of the world, too. If only I could run enough miles, I could find bliss. Of that I am pretty sure.
This past year had a lot of firsts for me. First day of c25k. First 20 minute run. (Oh. My. God. Week 5, Day 3 of c25k. I will never forget that run. It was my hardest yet.) First 5k. First hour run (with my very own brother, for the first time on neighborhood roads that have become my very favorite 9 mile hill loop). First 10k. First run with my husband. First run with the kids. First ten miler. First sports medicine doctor. First physical therapist. Then first GOOD physical therapist (thank God for him). First 5k race for my youngest kid. First yoga class. First half marathon. First regular massage therapist.
The coming year will hold some firsts, too. Many I can't imagine yet, but a few I already look forward to. First full family race on Thanksgiving. First day of Insanity (Halloween). First joint half marathon with my husband in January. First marathon for me (and hopefully my husband, too) in May.
I am looking forward to every minute of it.
We were all born to run. Our bodies and souls were made for this. I can't imagine anything better for the world than if everyone ran for an hour every day. I know I can't imagine anything better for my body and soul than lots of running.
