I really love to run.
Also, by running I mean jogging. 😛
When I was younger, I could never run very far for very long. I was involved in sports a little bit during high school, but nothing that involved extended periods of running.
In my 30s, I decided to try a 5k along with my son. We signed up for a zombie run. According to the sign up sheet, the race organizers would bus you out to a field in groups, and you’d run through a course lined with zombies all the way back to town and the finish line.
Just before the finish line, you’d run through roller derby zombies. Needless to say, it sounded intriguing.
So I started to follow a “couch to 5K” training schedule, one in which you’d run a little bit and walk a little bit, gradually increasing the amount of time that you’d be able to run. Eventually, you’d work your way up to 30 minutes of running.
It worked.
I didn’t run the race very fast, and we didn’t survive the zombie onslaught. But we had a lot of fun. I was hooked. It was so much fun running with other people. And running in a race pushed me to go a little faster than I would otherwise.
The most important thing that I learned from that experience was that running was attainable. Like climbing, if I just showed up and kept at it, I’d get better.
I never turned into a long-distance runner, but I’ve done my share of 5Ks and 5 milers over the years. There are times when I’ve done more walking than jogging but I always come back to the jogging. I feel better when I’m doing it regularly, not only physically, but mentally as well.
I haven’t run any races with my son for years. But we recently signed up for a holiday race together, and I’m looking forward to it.
What types of exercises do you like? I can’t wait to see other people’s responses to this writing prompt!
Writing RN 
Leave a comment