I remember years ago, listening to someone on the radio talking about how they started training for a philanthropic running event and low and behold, they lost 20 pounds and feel great. I started thinking that if I could only start running, all my weight problems would be solved.
I'd go for a walk and start putting in a few running segments and I HATED it. It was torture. I stopped.
Fast forward to my new lifestyle and it never even crossed my mind to start running. I just started to exercise. My body became more fit, but slowly. As I became more accustomed to each activity level, I started to add something new. Baby steps.
Then, last spring, my kids started training for their black belts in Taekwondo. As part of their training, they'd do endurance runs each week. Because my little one had only just turned 7, I wanted to go along on these runs. The first time we ran, I struggled. I chuckled at myself, thinking I was all hot stuff because I work out at the gym several days a week, yet I was dying on a 3 mile run with these kids.
So, I started to run. Once again it was to keep up with my kids. And I did it and it felt good. I did lots of reading (as usual) about how to avoid injuries, how to get good shoes, etc. etc. I wouldn't say I love it, but I love the workout and I love how I feel when I'm done. I wouldn't call myself a runner, but I'm an active person who fits running into my exercise routine.
In August, I ran my first 5K. It was a cross country race, lots of hills. I did it in 36 minutes. It was great! My kids want to do the next one with me and we found a good one that's on October 10th. After that, we're going to do the local Turkey Trot. I'm loving that I get to do this with my kids.
Why is running different this time around? I think it's the baby steps. I didn't go into this thinking I was going to be a runner, it just found me. I feel like everything about being healthy can boil down to baby steps. Change a few things here and there and you've become healthier and happier. Sometimes, there are some baby steps backwards, but if you're making incremental changes, they just seem easier to accomplish.