Our First Group Run

It's been an amazing weekend! :) I was able to run on Thursday morning, earning my 3rd penny - and my 4th on Saturday when Eden and I joined the Galloway group. What an amazing morning. I was stunned at the number of people who showed up - most of whom I've never seen before. It was hot! And we went slow; the 1:1 newbies only ran 3 miles - but I barely even noticed it, I was so excited to meet new people and get to know them. :) Eden was a gem, just rode along and took in the scenary, stubbornly holding onto half a banana the entire time. I finally threw it away at the end and gave her Cheerios instead. But then she spilled some and bent down to pick them up and put them back in her cup. :)

There was a stark contrast on the faces of the group both before and after our run. Veteran members were smiling, happy to see each other, and joking around. The uninitiated were restrained, perhaps wondering if it was going to be difficult, would there be a place for them in this group, would this running deliver on the promises of feeling good afterwards? I noticed that most people arrived in pairs and I assumed had signed up with a friend. That is great if your friend sticks with it - but I hope each one finds the determination to say, "I'll do it even if my friend doesn't." And yes, there will be a place for you in the group - but only you can create that place - by continuing to come!

I wanted to encourage everybody - and so freely told my story of participating last year and then quitting. I wanted them to know the pull of those elements which have caused me to return. Life is better when running! Much better in many, many ways.

And to continue my discussion of why I quit last year - I think I was looking for the easy way to success. (Who isn't?) I was too dependent upon my neighborhood friend to run with me in the mornings. I wanted to lean on her for motivation - and so fell short when she wasn't available to run with me on M & W. But you can't rely on someone else - not for motivation to achieve a goal and especially not for running. The beauty of running is you can do it in a group, and you can do it alone. You can do it at home, and you can do it on a business trip. You can do it in the morning, or in the evening. No equipment required except a good pair of shoes - and those can be packed in any carry-on! I discovered the joy of taking running with me when I ran on Hwy 98 in Biloxi after staying the night to visit my dad in the hospital about a month ago. It was especially joyous and resulted in and a good afterglow because I didn't let the sudden change in plans disrupt my Monday run. I was able to explore someplace new - someplace I'm likely to never run again.

After the run, I returned home to chores, chores and more chores! And here is where the best part of running materializes. Running gives me a boost into my day and propels me forward into my tasks. It's as if the physical act of moving forward and forward again and not giving in even when I'm tired and hot teaches me a new attitude that I take home to my chores. I was relentless at tackling the laundry and that mound of dirty dishes in the kitchen too. I didn't take a nap but pressed on and was rewarded with the greatest historic moment of the past 6 months: as of 9 pm last night, laundry was D O N E (and the kitchen clean, and two meals prepared that day, and lunch made for the next day, and breakfast too, and... and... ) This is why I say that running is not going to change my life, but running is going to change me, and I will then change my life. I like what running does for me - so I'm just going to keep on doing it!

I hope you will stick with it too and see what it'll do for you.