Trying Again

Way back in 2010 I wrote about wanting to become a runner. I tried the couch to 5K program and failed miserably. I think some combination of the time needed, hard pavement and sidewalks, and summer heat did me in.


Something is different this time.


5:15 a.m. on  a treadmill isn't taking any time away from my family.


Pain and discomfort (to be expected as my body adjusts to activity) is way easier to work through on a treadmill. It is a hugely different mental battle when I don't start to experience pain with a mile left to get home. I can simply adjust what I am doing in my workout.


Walking out of my house to walk/run on my city sidewalks with a free playlist from the internet meant I had nothing at stake besides my health, which seems like it should be motivation enough. It wasn't. Knowing that I am wasting money if I don't get to the gym often enough to earn our health insurance discount is huge.


I'm not alone. Now granted, I don't actually know or talk to the people around me, but they are there. They are fighting the same battle I am, and it is nice to know that they understand. As I walk to my treadmill I pass the same woman who is already 2 miles into her run when I get there. She's still running when I leave 45 minutes later. There is the guy working on weight machines, everyday in the same white hat. Obviously, people do this successfully.


If they can do it, I can too.


And I am. 


The first day I stepped on to the treadmill before Christmas I couldn't run for two minutes without stopping.


Now I walk for a song, run for a song, walk for a song, run for a song.


I ran a half mile without stopping last week, and now I run over a mile of my two and a half mile workout.


My first goal major fitness goal is to run a mile without stopping. It will be only the second time in my 30 years of life that I'll have done so.


I say, bring it on.