When I stop trying so much, I progress!

It's amazing. A few months ago, I started out walking again, because darn, I can do that! I walked for 3 miles (six laps), because darn, I can do that! I did not plan or make any goals. If I end up walking up to three miles sometimes for the rest of my life, than that will be OK. If I can get it up to 4-5 times a week, that would be better and if I can make it be brisk walking, for 45 minutes to an hour, then I'd be in the recommended exercise zone & it really could help me live longer and better!

Well, eventually I started the old, "Well I can run to that mailbox anyway" thing. Then I chose 5 mailboxes that made good stopping points on my circle. So I'd run to the first, walk to the next, and alternate. Each lap had the opposite lengths walking/running, so I could count my laps easier. On my hesitant mornings, I'd start with a Coffee Lap of walking with a cup of coffee, no pressure. Well, surprise surprise, I started really running on some mornings... notjust my shuffle run. I even chose to shuffle run my coffee lap in part and then I started leaving my coffee home on some days and just run/walk.

Well, blow me down, I started feeling like I could run past the chosen stopping driveways, so I created an optional "Driveway + One" deal. Lo and behold I'm up to "Driveway + three and then some" so that I'm actually headed to the NEXT driveway and just stop running one house ahead of time to catch my breath. I'm not on any schedule or self-pressure to increase the running & decrease the walking, but it actually is happening this time. I'm surprised because I have tried this in the past in various forms. Now I just run six laps stopping here and there, because I want to run.

When I skip a run, I start feeling eager to get out the next day. This is INCREDIBLE! I've read about it, but never really felt it... that is the internal urge to run. It feels so good, and honestly I am so surprised.

One of my resolutions is to get some exercise each day. So even a lap or a mile is better than none. I spent one morning bouncing on my trampoline while enjoying the morning news program. On Sundays I go to Zumba! That is a topic for another day.

I am grateful to have a body that doesn't feel pain when I run. I am newly interested in the starry sky. I've seen it my whole life and only now I'm developing a real curiousity about the moon's orbit, the constellations and planets that I see. Good thing my neighborhood has very little traffic because I'm often running with my eyes to the sky. I am proud of myself!!

My running has been revived and I am revitalized.