Note: This was going to be one short post about how I will now admit that I'm a runner. But in writing it, it took on a life of its own. So now it is a series of posts (or maybe just two posts, who knows?) about my journey from non-runner to runner.
OK, so I mentioned in a previous post that I don't really consider myself a runner. I realize, of course, that this is absurd. I run an awful lot for someone who is not a runner. On my long run last weekend, I was trying to figure out how it could be that I don't consider myself a runner. Largely, I think it goes back to my one season stint on the track team in high school. My junior year I decided to go out for track. I had spent the previous summer, post break-up with my first boyfriend, going for long bike rides and lifting weights, a picture of Linda Hamilton circa Terminator 2 on my bedroom wall for inspiration. I decided I was so ripped I would be an awesome shot putter and discus thrower. (Stop laughing!!) Needless to say, that did not work out as planned. I didn't have a plan B. The other field events were out. I figured running couldn't be too hard. Everybody can run, right? I knew I wasn't a sprinter, so I started out at 800m. And came in well behind everyone else. The coach suggested I try longer distances, so I tried 1600m. With similar results. I don't remember if I ever ran 3200m. Possibly. Whatever distances I ran, I do know I always came in last. Except one race where I came in second to last. My teammates were always encouraging, but it was very humbling. Obviously, I was not a runner.
2 comments:
(Sorry, I DID laugh on the field events bit...)
OK.
So here is where I'm going to tell you something that my high school track coach told me. "The longer the distance, the better you're going to be." I had laughed her off, as I was fairly successful in the 1600m and 3200m distances in high school. I thought that surely I was on top of my game and couldn't possibly ever be any better than I was at that moment! I was also quite full of myself in high school.
But she was right. Maybe I'm not winning races now. Usually I'm in races that are so big, I can't even hope to place in my age group. Maybe I'm not at the same blistering pace for 2 miles that I was in high school. But I'm older, smarter, and just feel better about it. I think I do better at 10 miles now than I ever could've hoped to when I was 17 years old.
Can't wait to read Part II and possibly more!
PS - before I read Part II, I wanted to tell you the other reason this made me laugh was because my friend Emily went through a very similar Linda Hamilton experience that same summer after being dumped by her first boyfriend. What a flashback to read your experience!
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