Working Out

As a chubby kid in the 60's my workouts were recess, riding a bike and playing in the woods. I went on to HS fulfilling my gym requirements with no interest in the things I was doing to achieve this goal. It was not until after HS that I became an athlete.

It started with bike rides with my girlfriends that spanned so many miles. In early 1978, a wife for less than a month and living in a new place I decided it was time to run. Prior to this time all required running had relegated me to a last place position. Don't know why this happened, my hero Jim Fixx came later. I started slowly through our apartment complex, probably a half a mile each day. By that Spring I was up to three miles a day.

In the six years that followed I got up in the wee hours of the morning to log in ten miles before I went to work. I was out there when there was snow on the ground. I was addicted. Through these years I ran in a 10K every weekend and actually won races. Running became something other than what I needed to do to something I had to do. Vacations and holidays were never a reason to miss a day. It was like a drug and it did lead to harder drugs. Aerobics classes, Jazzercise and any other way I could pound my twenty something knees and feet to death were just a way of life.

I first became pregnant at age 30, although I kept running through the first months, it became evident that I had to slow down. I credit my being in shape to immediately losing the weight after my first child. Then came a move to a new state and a second child. Running became impossible because I couldn't leave two babies to go out and run. Exercise classes were the answer because there was a nursery and a woman, who is still a dear friend, who I trusted to take care of my kids.

Then came another state to state move just at the beginning of my "Soccer Mom" years. Workouts became harder to achieve but I continued with some regularity. This was only possible because then I was a stay at home Mom. Then as the economy began to tank and our dream of putting these kids through college with no debt did I go back to work. I must say these working years were wonderful and exciting. Wouldn't have changed a thing, but as I stayed in a hotels with a gyms, working out was the last thing I wanted to do. I was relegated to walking through my neighborhood sometimes. Seven or so years ago was the last time I tried to run. On a morning walk through my streets I decided to run with a much younger neighbor to show my stuff. The next morning I fell out of bed as my knees were shot.

What followed was the idea that my running days were over, bad feet and knees, not to mention the lack of time or ambition to do it. Then I was laid off with no job prospects. Fortunately, this did not bring on my doom. I became a "Stay at Home" Mom again to one married and one starting a new career, both college grads and not living in our home. I had the time again.

Started slowly as I was so fat. Weighed more than I did when I was rolled into the hospital to give birth to each of my children. My New Year's resolution 2010 was to again make exercise a way of life. I started on the track at the YMCA and I was humiliated so many times as people 15 to 20 years my senior lapped me. Keep in mind that these people are AARP card carrying senior citizens. Armed with my new Ipod and "shape up" shoes I was determined to make this happen.

It is nine months later and I am hooked again. My feet and knees will prevent me from ever doing a 10K again but if it kills me, I will run a 5K again. Exercise is again something that I miss for even a day. I'm riding a bike again after almost twenty years. It has been years since I have felt as good as I do now. "Baby I Was Born To Run".