Day 2

Sunday August 1st, 2010

Today I had no plans of running. It was going to be my prep day. I went to favorite run.com and mapped out a few routes of varying length deciding where to start. I planned on doing some cardio at home. I charged the battery on my mp3 player and did some research. Everything I read pretty much contradicted everything else. I was frustrated.

To top it off, my kids just seemed to be full of energy and using it in ways that seemed to drive me crazy. We ate supper and my daughter Madilyn bombarded me with non-stop questions about things that she either already knows the answer to or are just plain silly. It doesn’t really matter what she is asking because by the time I answer it she has already moved on to the next question and doesn’t hear the answer anyways.

I had put little Mario to bed and she was in her room resting. I just needed to get away, even if it was for only a half hour or so. I changed into gym shorts, a running top and my running shoes, grabbed my mp3 player and told my husband I was going for a run. I don’t really know how he reacted to my sudden urge for physical activity. I may have left him with a look of disbelief, but I didn’t really care.

I stretched, then looked at the clock and took off for a 2 mile run. Now, I know you are supposed to pace yourself and I should have been a bit more realistic about this. I knew I wasn’t going to be able just to run 2 miles with no prep work at all, but I didn’t care. It felt really good.

For once I was in my own little world with my favorite songs blaring in my ears and not having to worry about housework, kids, or getting food on the table. For 2 miles there was nothing but the road ahead of me. It was euphoric.

Well, until I got a bout a half mile in and my lungs were actively protesting this sudden bout of physical activity. They were begging for a cigarette. I slowed to a brisk walk and managed that for a block before mentally reprimanding myself for giving up already and got back to running. My run carried on like this,  running as far as I could then walking a block and doing it all again.

I had never been so happy to see my house. I looked at the time then collapsed on my living room floor. My face was red and I was sweating like never before. But I felt relief. It took me 26 minutes to run 2 miles and I knew I could do this.