Archive for April 1st, 2009

Inspired by Kevin at 5ksandcabernets, I decided to do the unthinkable — jog instead of walk when I took the dog out in the evening. Whereas others are clocking up marathons, my goal was to jog the distance down to the creek, around a short circuit of lawn, and back up the hill — a distance of about 1 k, I would guess.  Last night was my third time to do this mini-journey.

My motivations for the plan were the idea, posted here earlier, that you don’t have to join a gym to get in shape,  as well as needing to exercise under severe time constraints. Since I started substitute teaching, I haven’t been able to go to the gym even once.

I got my faithful running partner — my dog — and sat on the bed with my running shoes on my feet. It had been a long day. I had been up since 4:30 a.m. and now it was 9:30 p.m. My head hung low. This running was insanity! The dog looked up at me. “Um, are we going?” he seemed to be nervously wondering. If I decided against the circuit I had to explain it to him. I felt mostly dead but how much harm could jogging a half mile do? I was already exhausted. Running couldn’t make it worse.

“What if there’s something wrong with my health?” I then worried, hypochondriacal as ever. Should I still go? Of course, this is a futile line of reasoning — there is almost no type of health problem for which running does not slightly improve your chances, except things like a broken leg. Heart trouble? Better off running. Cancer? Try running. Depression? Exercise is better than Paxil or Xanax.

Okay, I told myself, this was a one foot in front of the other sort of deal. I picked up the leash and marched out the door. After all, the one thing I could be sure of, which I was sure of back when I used to run cross country at age 14, was that it would be over in a short time.  It seemed to me I ran a little faster than I had the two previous days. My lungs didn’t hurt quite so much, and the fake heart attack I often experience when I exercise was not quite as acute.

I saw my daughter when I returned, coming out to walk her dog, and I did a circuit of the neighborhood with her, a cooldown walk. Then I went back into the house, stretched out on the bed. I felt so good. The world was actually a wonderful place! The universe supported me; I felt tired, maybe tired enough to die, but I didn’t care, I was at peace in a way I couldn’t remember being in a long time. I recognized the feeling as runner’s euphoria. People who don’t run can never experience this. I felt it. I was a lucky person to experience the moment. I was a lucky person to be able to run at all, even a 1k.

Running: yes, just what I can do, and just for today, I go on the record and say, it’s worth it.