Ouch, it Hurts

Yesterday as I was taking Lauren (my friend's daughter) to dance, we saw a group of highschool/college age girls running down the street. Lauren asked, "Why are they all running together?" I explained that this was probably a cross country running team from the high school or George Fox. I can't judge age anymore since I'm waaay older than these girls. Lauren went on to ask what cross country was and I found myself describing my good ole' high school days of being on the cross country team: How much work it is, how tiring it is and also how much fun it was to gather with a group of friends each day and run around town. How you run a long race, but at the end it is such a since of accomplishment, and you stay in really good shape.

I was reminded by the Spirit, that once again I too could lace up my running shoes and take off on the open road and find myself feeling healthy and in shape if only I wouldn't be so lazy. So I tried it-this morning I "went running."

Since I don't have running buddies to keep me energized, I needed some music. I couldn't figure out how to work the iPod-so I had to call Alan to help me "reboot it" to get it going. I tied the house key to my shoelace and set out. But the iPod earbuds don't stay in my ears. So I spent the first 10 minutes running, stopping, reinserting, reinserting, running, jogging, reinserting, holding in, reinserting. Okay-so THIS ISN'T GOING TO WORK. I finally figured out how to max out the volume on the iPod, tied the earbuds around my neck (looking cool!) and continued on my lumbering way. I wasn't feeling this sense of freedom, this sense of accomplishment and health...just pain. And a lot of heavy breathing. My run turned into a jog/walk/jog again. I pushed myself to run "to the next stop sign." I said to myself things like, "you can do it you're only afraid of the pain." I answered myself with a resounding, "you know it sister!" I eventually made my way back home. This time I had to call Alan to ask how to turn the iPod off. (it goes off by itself-apparently the iPod can determine on it's own when you aren't listening to it anymore.) I untangled the earbuds from my neck. Day 1 of the new running plan...done. Don't hold your breath for Day 2.