Offn....

Today, I had a surge of joy. I felt my body exert itself enough to be engaged without being torn up. I felt my breathing increase enough to feel invigorated without being labored. I felt my muscles engage but not tear. I found a rhythm, a flow, a sense of simultaneous ease and energy.

And I was wearing sneakers.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am once again running.

While here in Morgan Hill, I saw so many of my killer cyclist friends do both, and do both with relative aplomb, that I felt like the times for excuses were over. I wanted to be able to throw on my trainers and GO. Not go hard, or terribly long, but hard enough to feel like I did something and long enough to warrant lacing up in the first place.

I started off slowly. 15 minutes once a week, then twice a week.

Then 20 minutes. 25 minutes. Three times a week.

Then I donned my idiot cap.

25 minutes in the morning, 20 more later in the day. Twice a week.

Then 45 minutes. All at once. Then three days later, 55 minutes.

Two days later, another 55.

Today, 25 minutes this morning on a set 2.5 mile course.

And 45 minutes this afternoon on the treadmill at 6mph.

Which means, seven miles total.

Seven.

Why am I writing this with so many line jumps? Well, because this is a big deal, and big deal posts deserve a whole lotta line jumps. I kept trying to run, and failed to find my footing, so many times that I lost track of why I loved running in the first place.

Well call me Sherlock Holmes, cause guess what I found?

Today, on the treadmill, listening to my iPod, I almost laughed out loud (thank god I didn’t, awkward work moment).

There’s something about engaging every muscle in your body, propelling yourself forward with only your own two feet, that’s completely its own unique joy. And yes, I did use the word joy. It’s a joyous thing, being able to run, being in good enough shape to have running be an easy thing should you choose to do so.

So while running still definitely takes a back seat to cycling, at least it has a seat again.