Pain is Sweet

As I write this blog post, I sit at my desk with very sore legs. In fact, every half hour or so I need to get up and walk around my office building, because the muscles in my calves seem to be atrophying, and it KILLS if I sit too long.

Why the pain? Because yesterday, my dear readers, yours truly went for a run.

WAIT, let’s see that again, because I need to make sure I really wrote those words…

I, Candid Karina, went for a run.

Yep, really happened.

If you know me at all, then you know what a shocker that is. Anyone who knows me has heard me say on more than one occasion (okay fine EVERY SINGLE TIME anyone mentions going running) that I don’t run. If I’m running, then you best believe someone is chasing me. Because I? I. Don’t. Run.

Except, yesterday? I went for a run. And no, nobody was chasing me. So, what in the world happened?

It all started innocently enough. Having gotten an “early release” from work, due to being in an all day training that finished early, I was going to head to the gym. But we got a break in the gloomy rainy weather we’ve been having, and when I left work it was sunny and gorgeous out. So I decided to go for a walk instead.

I’ve been walking the “hills” in my neighborhood for a few weeks now, and I really enjoy this walk. The ups and downs of the hills give me a real workout, and it never feels like “just a stroll”. What started as a real challenge, however, has now become an easy 45 minute walk. By the end, I’m not longer out of breath, I’m not really “feeling the burn”.

So yesterday, halfway into my walk I decided I should try running it. And so…I did.

Truth be told, at this point running for me means stopping quite frequently to walk slowly while I gasp for air (okay, not gasp, but there is certainly some very heavy breathing involved). But, regardless, I ran.

And you know what? I liked it.

I KNOW! I can’t believe it either.

I’m not entirely sure who this person is that has taken over my body, but I have to admit, I’m growing fond of her, and I think she can stay.

Over the last year I’ve dropped 25 lbs., and I’ve found myself growing increasingly interested in health and fitness. I’m eating better, I’m eating less, and I’m genuinely interested in maintaining a healthy diet long term. I’m also working out regularly, and not just enjoying it, but finding myself wanting to push harder and harder each time. I’m not just satisfied with going to the gym and doing “enough” to “not gain weight”. I want to work harder, I want to do more, I want to reach new levels of fitness I have never reached before.

Here I am, in my 30’s, and I want to become one of those “athletic” people. It’s such an interesting phenomenon for me. The last time I did any sort of running that didn’t involve trying to catch a train, I was in the 6th grade and on the track team. By junior high school, I’d decided that I was NOT going to be the girl that went out for sports teams, I was much more interested in books and make-up. I never played any sports after that, and my stints at the gym were either because I wanted to look half-way decent in a bathing suit, or because I was watching the boys intramural basketball teams play in college.

And now? I’m thinking running might be something I might actually want to take up. I’m looking forward to hiking trips with a friend of mine, and I’m even considering taking up golf. WHAT? No, I’ll deny it if you tell anyone I said so.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go take a walk around the office, my legs are atrophying again. OH the pain…so sweet!