Let's Be Friends

I am full of excuses when it comes to finding time to head to the gym. It's too hot, or it's too cold, or it's too early, or it's too late. Or I too recently took a shower. Apparently I at times need a swarm of flies circling my head to determine it is in fact time to head to the gym. My friend Lexi thinks she's the queen of excuses. But she has two children, so I reason that her excuses are immediately 100 percent more valid than mine.

Last Sunday though, I set something in motion. I didn't know it at the time, but heading to the gym a little over a week ago would give me the momentum to continue going, excuses be damned. Since that Sunday, I've gone to the gym  five times. That feat has not happened in months. I think I went five times total from November to January.

That's the thing about working out: The more I do it the more I want to keep doing it. Because if I stop, I don't know how long it will be until I go again. This week though, my excuses have fallen away. I've gone and not had any thought otherwise. I've gone even though it meant the earliest train I could take home was the 7:35 p.m. I've gone even though I've worked an 8+ hour day. I've gone even though I've only had 30 minutes to spare. I've gone even though the weather outdoors could not have been nicer. 

Today the weather was downright beautiful. And I decided I wasn't going to the gym. I was going to the park instead. For all my dramatic declarations of I don't run any more, I ran today. Not far, not fast. I got out there though. The weather could not have been nicer - mid 60s, sunny with a slight breeze. I made my third pass around the quarter mile track and was surprised upon internal inspection to find that I was enjoying myself. It was so nice that I did a fourth lap. And then ran part of the way home.

This is the thing I learned. I do like running. But I like doing it outdoors, on a nice day. And I like running without worrying about setting a pace or going a certain distance. When I don't self impose all these pressures on my running performance, I actually do find it quite enjoyable. So running, I have this to say to you: Let's be friends. You may never be a great love of mine, but I'll always look forward to catching up with you on a sunny day.