OT: Run, Forrest, Run

I have never been a runner. I have never even been anything close to a runner. I am still not a runner. Sure, I was active in high school: I played field hockey and tennis. I was actually pretty decent at both of them and was captain of my field hockey team until I quit during sophomore year because, well, I didn't like running.

That's when I started playing tennis, which involves so much focus that I didn't even have time to think about the exercise I was doing. I had a tennis trainer and he made me run a lot, but I loved the sport so much that I didn't really mind. Plus, I was like seventeen and who is out of shape when they are seventeen anyway.

Then, I went to college, discovered alcohol and other poor habits, gained 15lbs (and then lost it, and then gained it...), and gave up on exercising all together. Yeah, I went to the gym, but I never really went to the gym. I wasn't one of those people who was going to absolutely die if I didn't make it to the gym or to my pilates class. I just kind of went when I felt like it.

And...here we are.

I'm still not a runner, gym-goer, or fitness junkie. I am, however, a pretty excellent walker. I walk every day. Same route. 1.5 miles. This exercise habit was completely unintentional. When I became the most awesome woman alive single 3 months ago, I realized that someone was going to have to walk my dog, Henry, and that someone was most certainly going to be me. So, I started walking. At first, it was a chore. Another thing on my to-do list. But over time, it became something I very much looked forward to. Sitting at my desk at work, I would think about how nice it will be to get home and walk Henry and be outside and not be stuck in my mole-cave of a cubicle. It actually turned into one of my favorite parts of the day (next to lunch).

Not so long ago, I was walking Henry on our usual route and something dawned on me: I can do this faster. The thought kind of shocked me. Faster? Are you on something? What are these thoughts and what have you done with my brain? But I thought about it some more and realized I probably could do it faster. I had been walking the same distance for 3 months and it was time to up the ante a tad.

Which brings us to tonight.

I, the worst runner in the world, ran (at super-human snail speed) with my dog along our usual route. I didn't make it the whole distance (don't judge!) but I followed the advice of a good friend of mine (and fantastic runner) -- pick a point along your route and tell yourself, I can make it to that. So I did. And I made it. And Henry was absolutely fantastic! Which is a huge surprise because he is such a spaz and I was wondering if we were even going to make it to running at all, but we did! It was like he knew I was serious about this and that it was something I needed to do and he just trotted alongside and listened perfectly. I was very proud of him. And I am also very proud of me.

I was a little hesitant to write this because I didn't want it, under any circumstance, to sound like I was saying I am something I am not...or that I am good at something I am not. But I think that tonight might be the start of an excellent adventure, so I decided to document it. My philosophy is this: I have to walk my dog. If I can get it done a little faster, well, go me.

Until next time, kids.

(soundtrack: "schoolboy" by grouplove)