Rookie

“So, are you in college?” asked the young salesman at Rush Running. I smiled politely and just said no. Launching into the fact I’m over ten years out from that phase of my life, married and with 2 kids just seemed unnecessary but I appreciated the accidental compliment. Or was it?! I bought the new running shoes! HAH!

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I decided to start running again. Back when I was in high school (I know, bear with me rehashing my ‘glory years’) I ran cross country and track. I loved it sometimes, the forgetfulness while running and the endorphins afterwords were awesome but I HATED the competition! I was not the best runner on the team… in fact I’ll venture to say I took turns being the WORST runner… the worst runner on a team that had won state the previous 10 years. The competition on the team was pretty fierce and I withered and never wanted to run again. I had forgot the joy.

While I did run on the team, we always told anyone who would listen that running (as a sport) had more injuries than any other sport. People would scoff at us but we had data on our sides. spouting how these rookie runners would decide one day that they wanted to be runners and then go out and try to run 3 miles and injure themselves in the process. Oh the stupidity of these people! chuckle chuckle.

Yesterday guess what I did? umm yeah, on my week 1, day 1 of Couch to 5k I decide to run around a near by lake. All 7 miles of it. REALLY? My 16-year-old self is mocking my 31-year-old self. Today, thankfully without any serious injuries, I am trying to stretch out all my angry muscles that want to bunch together. I can barely walk. I must have thought my new shoes had jet propellers on them or something! It was still exhilarating though… while I ran (then stopped to catch my breath…) I felt this surge of joy! I am remembering the fun, the forgetfulness and the great feeling afterwords.

After limping to my car I decided to stretch. I remembered how stretching is just as important as the work out itself- all my training is coming back to me! Hah! Although it was in the upper 30’s outside I was hot from my work out and sitting in the sun it was nice so I took off my jacket and was in my work-out tank. A few minutes into my stretching I noticed a man jump out of his car and with a super nice professional camera he started taking picture after picture of me!

Girls… I’m not skinny. I’ve had 2 c-sections and although I have lost some weight my stomach and arms aren’t very toned… “ummm hi there…” I said awkwardly smiling at the strange intruder, feeling like a celebrity being stalked by paparazzi. He smiled back and told me he was a photographer for the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, his press tags were dangling around his neck, and he “was tired of taking pictures of people hanging their Christmas lights”. He then acknowledged he was a little creepy… yeah.. just a little bit.

“Do you run here every day?” he asked, notebook in hand.

I laughed inwardly… No, this is my first time in 15 years I thought but answered simply “No.”

I saw him write down some information about me and…

and guess what? I’m challenged to live up to that caption. What a great FIRST DAY to start up running again.