The Dream

This goal did not come about to raise money for cancer or to loose weight or some other traditional reason for taking up a training program. I have had an attraction to running for a long, long time. Once during a trip to the Rocky Mountains with my family as a teenager, I remember suddenly having this urge to run. Just like Forrest Gump described it - for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So, I did. I ended up running along the tourist area, through the parking lots and out onto to the highway. I wanted to continue but had to go back. Even today I can clearly remember the freedom and energy I felt that afternoon. That feeling has stayed with me and for many years wished that I could be a runner. It has taken me all this time to take it seriously and to stop feeling sorry for myself when it starts getting challenging. But here I am. I am doing it! In fact, I am doing it really well. I am still very slow but with only one incident of a tender knee and successfully completing every run on my program with continuous running, not one single time stopping to walk - I am living the dream.

The dream is ever-expanding. When finish this training program, I can repeat it and try to work on my time or I can move onto a 10K training program. Continuing on this path my options are endless. But, as small as my little successes have been, my heart is glowing with pleasure and pride. In fact, there is a list of pleasures that I have been mentally storing during and after my runs:

- The smell of fresh autumn air

- After running an incline, reaching the top and the ground flattens out

- Seeing a rainbow at the end of the road after the rain stops

- Running a whole lap without running behind a smoker

- Watching children have fun playing in the park

- When I look at my watch and 10 minutes have gone by

- When I pass someone walking slowly eating chips/candy

- Laughing at myself when I think a car slowing down along the road might be a stalker

- Laughing at myself when I try to quickly dodge dog poo on the sidewalk

- Stretching out my hamstrings immediately after my run

- Seeing all the sweat my ball cap soaked up, preventing it from running down my face

- Preparing to write my next blog post

Writing this list reinforces that I am really living the dream. Four times a week I am out there running, pushing hard. I have gone from being stressed out and concerned about my pace to someone who accepts their athletic level and finds simple pleasures in hard work. I am definitely on the right path, running toward that next big dream.