I'm currently in the midst of my second attempt at learning to run. This is not a natural thing for me. I do not look like a runner. I'm pretty sure I don't RUN like a runner. In fact, I'm not sure what I do actually counts as running. (Anyone know the difference between running and jogging?)
But this is week four of the Couch to 5K running program. The longest I'm running is a five-minute stretch, and I do a couple of those in a workout along with some shorter runs.
I fully acknowledge that I'm not a runner and there's a better than average chance I won't become one. I also acknowledge that my workout would be laughable to anyone at all on the planet who considers herself a runner. But there is this....
I'm not hating running. I occasionally look forward to it.
Weird, huh? I agree.
I've signed up for e-mail from Runner's World. They send me quotes about running. Today's was by Mark Remy, the Executive Editor. He says, "Even after all these years, running continues to amaze me. Mostly in its ability to clarify - to make things OK and bring you back down to earth, even when things are insane. Especially when things are insane."
Maybe that's it. Maybe that's why I don't hate it. Maybe running is more than burning calories and earning extra Weight Watcher activity points and following through with something even though it's scary because I want to prove something. Maybe running can be a way to shut everything out and focus on very small things--Pink's deeply profound lyrics, not crossing my arms, exhaling longer than I inhale, relaxing my shoulders and legs, running until I get to that mailbox up there before looking at the stopwatch.
Maybe running is a form of meditation.
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