Running Musings - 022607

When I was in high school I decided I didn't want to be physically weak, anymore. I was playing volleyball, and doing a pisspoor job of it, and I thought weight lifting would help me in my game. I wanted to look like Rachel McLeish the 1984 Ms. Olympia. I told my cardiologist that I was weight lifting, and his "no" fell like a ton of concrete. He suggested that I do cardio vascular work i.e., running. Not only did I hyperventilate 2 times while running in elementary school, but also once while running in high school, and it was truly because I didn't know if I could do it. The fear made my breathing irregular.

The day before my first day of freshman year at college I ran 1/4 mile around a track outside my dorm. Every week I added another 1/8th mile as the inside track was an 1/8th mile track. I wasn't the only one concerned. I remember telling my dad that I was up to a 7/8th's mile and he said I don't know if we want you to do that. I kept doing it. It was really like travelling to another country where the language is different after not travelling before. I really did not know my limits. I also didn't realize until many years later that the only limits I had were self-imposed.

By the end of freshman year (May 1987)I was up to 2.5 miles. December 1987 I completed a life goal of 3 miles without stopping. Joyous joyous joyous occasion. Definitely warranted cake. During the following spring I made the goal of running 6 miles non-stop as that would mean I am truly a runner.

Life has ups and downs, running programs stop and start years pass. January 1998 I decided I needed to start running again or else I was going to need a new wardrobe. I used the strategy that worked. I started a 1/4 mile. By April I was up to 1 mile, and by June up to 3 miles. March 2nd 1999 I ran 6 miles non-stop. It was probably the single most important achievement of my life. I knew at that time that the only thing holding me back was fear. There was no way I couldn't have run 6 miles even in high school. If only I knew how, and that, yes, it could be enjoyable, and runner's high are incredible. At least I found out then instead of never.

Life has ups and downs, running programs stop and start years pass. November 2004 my apartment complex added a running machine to the converted bathhouse now exercise area. Aha! I could start running again. This time I became bold. I started at a mile. I have been running inconsistently, but still running. Today, I ran 3 miles. The first 2.5 miles were a struggle, but it was truly the first time I thought my base is 3 miles. In other words after that 20 miles last week I am a runner. I finished them fine, no pain, no suffering. Just fine. After 20 years my base changed from a 1/4 mile to 3 miles, and it is a very good feeling.