Turning 50 Makes You Do Crazy Things…

I turned 50 in May. Wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. We had a big party and celebrated with lots of friends. But it wasn’t a life changing day…

but now, now all of a sudden I’m doing crazy things!

I’m running…well training to run…training to run a 5k!

Those of you out there in cyberspace who actually know me and have met me face to face are probably laughing right now…I don’t blame you, I kind of am, too. After all, it ME, and I’m running! I always said the only time you’d see me running is if I’m being chased by someone/something!

But in an effort to get/stay healthy I’ve been walking with my husband and friends most evenings. We average between 2 and 3 miles each night and it feels good. But I kept getting this urge to break into a run. My friend Kari has done the 3 day Walk for a Cure twice and she told me that in her training she would get the urge to run so she just did it. So I decided the next time I felt that urge, I would do it.

I was out by myself, walking in the morning around the picturesque town of Amherst and all of a sudden it hit me…run, whispered my inner voice…no, I whispered back…RUN…there it was again! So I took a deep breath and said, OK! I’ll run to the end of that fence…and I did it! I broke into a run 4 different times on that walk…and I thought I was going to DIE! But here’s the thing, I didn’t. And I wanted to do it some more. So I talked to my son, Erik and told him about it and he mentioned the Couch to 5k Program (C25K) and told me to Google it. I did and thought, okay. Maybe this is something I can do…what?

Let’s go back 35 years…

Pearl River High School, Pearl River NY. Gym class. We are required to run or walk a 12 minute mile. Sounds easy on paper. It took me forever to accomplish it! I would get very painful shin splints but since I didn’t know what they were called, my gym teacher made me keep going. Ugh. I used to do gymnastics, I played softball, I swam, nothing competitively, but I wasn’t a couch potato. We walked everywhere. But I could NOT do this 12 minute mile. It’s a wonder I didn’t fail gym class!

Now let’s jump forward…

I AM a couch potato…sure I’ve been walking in the evenings but it’s more of a stroll. Hardly even broke a sweat. And all of a sudden with the help of the C25K, I’m running! Sure, I’m not running 3.1 miles yet, but with 2 weeks into the program, I will be in 7 more weeks! That’s less than two months to go! And here’s the really crazy thing, I’m enjoying it! That’s right, I’m not being chased by anything/anyone and I’m enjoying it! Who knew?!?

Maybe this isn’t the craziest thing to do when you turn 50…

Maybe I’ve got something else planned for my 50th year….

Stay tuned.

 

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