The Middle Way

I know...in that way that sometimes I just “know” things...that underneath these pencil ankles, weak shins, and equestrienne knees, regardless of the fact that I have the lung capacity of a 20 year pack-a-day smoker or the speed and ambition of a sloth... "I AM a runner". And if I’m wrong, I’m going to take up racing motorcycles (because I sort of have a feeling about that too). But first, let me follow my instincts with the running thing until I’ve exhausted all hope. I’m a long way from that, by the way, but with the ½ Marathon looming ever nearer, I’ve got some pavement to burn and I better get on it!

This week I got back into “health mode”. Well, ha ha, let me back up a little bit. Yesterday, I DID have a filet-o-fish and fries from McDonald's for an afternoon snack, followed by a 3 piece egg roll/two taco chaser from Jack in the Box for dinner (Whoa! Where did that come from?), but it’s the LAST time! I don’t eat fast food very often, almost never. But when I do...holy trans-fat, this girl can eat! Yikes...

Anyway - aside from the fast food binge, it’s only Thursday and I’ve already got a few short runs under my belt. The plan is to slowly ease my way back up to the mile marker I finally hit before the wedding, and then I’ll move on from there. I’ve practiced yoga a few times, did some meditating, got kind of deep into the nature of my own nature and equally as deep into a few bags of chips. Now I’m ready to get down to business.

Rob likes to say (or is it that I like him to say?) that I do things “The Middle Way”, a reference to Buddhism, which is usually TRUE (unless cheese puffs or potato chips or fast food or wine or candy or chocolate or cigarettes or cheese are involved) and a HUGE compliment. It doesn’t mean “half-assed”, it just means “not in the extreme”. I don’t jump into things 150%, only to then jump out just as quickly when I find that the new lifestyle change or habit doesn’t agree with me. I give it a good 75-80% at all times...consistently (ummm...not so sure I should be admitting this...and with pride?). I plod along, definitely more tortoise than hare-like, maybe a wee bit too tenaciously at times, but definitely not at a full gallop. Perhaps this is why the pounds I lost for the wedding are still gone? Those pounds took FORever to come off, but I think they’re long gone and for good! (Unless I set up a permanent camp in the McDonald's drive through).

So training for a ½ marathon is going to be interesting. I’d rather take my time, build on the running for few years, and then maybe I’ll be ready in say...2015. We’ll just have to see how it goes because, while part of me understands my nature, the other part of me just KNOWS that I am a natural...born...runner (Suze Ormon voice here).

Some how, at some point, when I least expect it, but wish really hard for it (like the way I wished really hard for a pony until I eventually got one), the gossamer wings of Nike that are hiding inside my Brooks will quietly unfurl and I will float effortlessly and serenely across the finish line, like Nike herself, to claim VICTORY!

Until then, I’ll just wait...and wish...and Oh! Probably run a little bit too!