Saturday, November 14, 2009

Running.....Can I Do It?




For years now, I've secretly admired runners.

Those folks you always see on the side of the road that seem to run forever, never stopping.

I remember telling my husband back a few years ago about my desire to be a runner. It was the first time I said it out loud and I remember feeling like a dufus while telling him...the exact thing I didn't want to happen. Wishing I had just kept it to myself.

When I was a kid and had to run the mile in PE class, I was always one of the kids that finished last. It seemed like the entire class would be inside the track cheering me to finish before the 12 minute time limit was reached. Telling me that if I didn't hurry, I would have to run it again tomorrow, and it was supposed to rain that day.

With shortness of breath, pain piercing my sides and my pulse so loud in my ears it was deafening, I would finish the mile just shy of 12 minutes every time.

Boy was I glad when PE was no longer mandatory and I could choose art or photography.

I've never been a good runner, but I want to become one now.

This morning, with my husbands encouragement and my kids cheering me on, I loaded up my black Lab and the two of us headed to the coast.



Choosing a running partner that won't ever utter a discouraging word was a very wise decision on my part. He was grateful for a short run along the coast that ended with a little game of fetch before heading back home. We weren't gone long, but it was a start.

It was a small victory.

9 comments:

Ketty said...

Buffff, I can´t run anymore. Specially because I get ashma attacks if I try. :-)

sorry I missed you on the chat, my computer has it own mind and comes and goes when it feels like it.
saludos
ketty

Unknown said...

Way to Go, Nina!! Did you feel good afterward? I am not a runner either but have always admired runners too. So i totally relate! I use to have to run the mile in 8 min. for soccer and if I didn´t we had to do 2 extra laps. oh man was that a killer. I had friends who would lap me and stick with me to encourage me. Finally by my Junior year of High School I managed to make an 8 min. mile. :) NOw it´s so nice just to run for fun with the dog. ;)

And what a place you have to run!! The Coast!

Wooo Hooo!!!
Crunchin´with ya
Dani Joy

Anonymous said...

Nina, you're awesome! Praise God for a victory. I'm just like you. I hated running ALL my life until about 4 years ago. I was going to be in a wedding and wanted to get into shape very badly. I NEVER thought I could EVER run, but I started. At first I could only do one minute at a time and I'd walk in between. It took me two months to work up to running for 20 minutes at a time. I finally got to the place where I could walk into the gym, get on the treadmill and run for 30 minutes. I have to say that it was really hard for me to work up to that.

Now I'm not back to ground zero, but I can only go for 10-15 before I give up and start walking.

You've done great! Keep up the good work.
Tricia

Shane and Kristy Davis said...

Oh, I was that kid too!
Hated it!

Way to go... that is great.
My friend really wants me to jog with her, and I don't think I can do it.

KathyH said...

Way to go Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maribel said...

Awesome! Keep it up. It will get easier as you continue to do it.

Siberia said...

I used to be that slow one in PE as well, although in my class the last one had to run an extra lap. Guess who had to run the extra lap 9 times out of 10. Yep, it was me. In high school, our PE teacher told us we were going to have a contest. I've always been really competitive, so I did my best, and ended up finishing in the top 5. What I didn't know was that he was getting ready to put together a cross country team, and I ended up being chosen, without any desire for it on my part. I told him I wouldn't be on the team. Well, he told my dad, who was also the school administrator, and I ended up running cross country. At first I thought I would die, but after a while, I could run 4 miles without stopping. I ended up going without my monthly cycle, probably because my body fat level was so low at the time, and I quit running. I haven't gotten back to it yet. No one runs around here, and it's too cold now anyway. Maybe someday...I will be that little old granny in her velour matching workout suit running down the road.

Tami

Sarah K said...

Great job! Way to go!

Nina in Portugal said...

Aww..you ladies are so sweet!

Thanks for your encouraging words.