Running

I've been running for a bit less than 20 years. I started for fitness reasons. Can't remember much more than that, as it was a very long time ago. Used the car to measure my very first route. Set a goal of one mile out, and one mile back. Was proud of myself for making it.

Soon found it too mindless, so ran with music, and later with podcasts and audio books. Started with a cassette tape player, for Pete's Sake, then went through a cd player or two. Had one of the early mp3 players. It was big and held almost nothing. On to better and better players. Finally got an ipod in 2009, and then a better one.

My wife didn't like my running at first. She was scared I'd wreck my knees, but after a decade or so seemed to accept it. Now she's my biggest supporter whenever I head out, even when I do something stupid like the half-marathon I ran today. It's my second one. Does that count as having completed a marathon?

Sadly, the race people publish our times and I can't help checking how I compare. Not really well, it turns out. Beaten by all the young folks, and most of the geezers my age. Two of the dudes in the 70 and over category beat me, one of them by over 20 minutes. Bastard.

Anyhow, I run. It's become as much a discipline as an exercise. I run every day I'm not working, except for sacred rest Fridays. If I miss a day, I make it up later. If I know I'm going to miss, I might make it up beforehand. It's all good.

To quote Dory, "Just keep swimming...just keep swimming...just keep swimming..."