I can't really call this a milestone...

...because I've never measured how many miles I can actually run jog. In fact, I'm a little afraid that the actual distance might prove to be more of a disappointment than I can handle. In fact, I don't really like to talk or even think much about how I exercise. I like it to be something that just happens without my analyzing it or being too scientific, so that it keeps its magic. But perhaps reflecting upon it a bit more seriously a couple of times a year is OK. A year ago today was my latest "starting over" with jogging. It's something I've done off and on since my first year of college and this is the longest I've stuck with it in about 12-13 years, when I'd trained up to running Bloomsday (12K) with Jack. In that fun run race I found that I actually do possess some competitive instincts. I took a break after moving from Missoula to here. After that I've had several more false starts, including the time in 2000 when I foolishly ran Bay to Breakers (also 12K) having only trained for about 5.5K. For some reason, I couldn't walk it, like I'd planned...something just got into me and I had to run. Then, for a week after that I almost literally couldn't walk...but not like you might think. Mysteriously, I had no sore muscles anywhere, but the tops of both feet felt like I'd dropped anvils on them.



So. Yeah, last year on today's date I found myself at the waterfront, planning to walk, but I ran. And I remember how good it felt. For 3 weeks I didn't even keep track of how long I went, but finally started recording minutes at 30. I increased one wimpy minute every week or two until I was able to go 40. I've been holding at 40 minutes since the end of October, a few times going up to 45, but never counting those extra minutes. I'm probably overdue to start thinking about increasing speed...adding hills...getting new shoes, but that's thinking about running and I'm not sure I'm ready for that. My only goal is to not quit.

In the past year, I've run many more days than I haven't. I don't want to get compulsive about it, but I don't want to stop. Dr. Ken was right - I've needed to balance the mental activity (or inactivity, depending on which class I'm in) from school with some physical activity. I can't say that my head is always clearer, but some ideas do get knocked loose during a run once in a while. And it feels good. OK, usually it only feels good afterwards and sometimes not even then, and once in a while it sucks every step of the way. But I know it is good. Good for my health, of course...but good in other ways. I have no idea what drew me to running. I'm no athlete, and my body type might benefit more from some other type of exercise, but I don't want that just yet. I'm happy with the limitations of my "work out". Even running 5-6x a week, I'll never escape the curves of my "hearty peasant stock", for example. Butt yes, there have been some physical benefits...