Running

After all these years of running, I am still surprised by it. First, I can't fathom that I really like it. I enjoy going out there so often and pounding down some miles. I never liked running as a kid unless it was chasing a ball. The idea of running track or cross country never, even crossed my mind. The track portion of gym classes were, next to gymnastics, the worst! Yet, here I am, running when I don't have to.

Second, I was out there the other day, getting in a 16-miler. I laughed to myself, "What are you doing out here running 16 miles? You're 62-years old!" Yep, and I'm glad to still be able to do it. I know there are other old guys out there running, too. I'm glad and thankful I'm one of them. When I registered for the Las Vegas Half Marathon, a question asked how many half marathons I'd completed. Hmmm...I wondered. One of the choices was "more than 10." Without really thinking about that or caring what I put down, I checked that. But, I still wondered. I figured I'd done about 10 or 12, but maybe a few less. Then I checked some old records and combed my (not my hair, since I don't have much) memory. I had forgotten about the West Bloomfield Half Marathons I had run in the past decade and about the Flushing Halfs and even the Dexter-Ann Arbor Halfs. How I managed to forget those, I don't know, but I had. In the final tally, I've run between 20 and 24 half marathons, likely closer to 24 since I may have forgotten a few. But I can account for at least 20. I impressed myself. They go along with my twelve marathons. Now, that is really something I can't believe!

Third, still sometimes running can be full of mind-games. I had run the other day about 7 miles and was at Proud Lake, a little more than 2 miles from home. I thought about "2 miles" and briefly thought, "Hey, I can't run 2 miles. That's a long way." Indeed, at one time it was. Maybe it still is. But, how funny, 2 miles seemed so long.