Baby, you were born to run. (Thanks Boss)

I've just recently started getting into running, which is something I honestly never thought I would do. I've always been tall and athletic, and I probably would have made a great cross country runner, but I always had so much pressure piled on top of me that I rejected a lot of sports when I was young. I was also anorexic, which made exercise a conflicted issue, and I vaguely recall one instance where my mother had to carry me off the field at a meet because I fainted. Pretty sad stuff. I started exercising again a few years ago when I was trying to deal with my boyfriend at the time being gone on tour most of the year. It was great therapy when I had a troubled student in my class the first year I ever taught photography. Working out was a way to be totally distracted and still be in touch with myself in a way that I never really understood before. Running, however, was still off limits.

Well, many things have changed in the past few years, and I've seen my mother take up exercise and even start to train for a half-marathon. My husband of 6 months wakes up at 5:30 in the morning to run before he goes to school. I still exercise regularly, but running? Mysterious...tedious...painful! I tried running to and from the gym last week, which resulted in sore ankles and a runny nose (it's too cold to run outside.) A few days ago, I got on the treadmill and ran a 13 minute mile. It wasn't as hard as I thought, and the rush that I got just knowing that I was doing something that I hadn't tried since I was a teenager was surprisingly thrilling. Yesterday I ran for almost 2 miles straight and it RULED! I was sweating like a hog, bright red in the face, hair stuck to my forehead and neck, but I felt completely in tune with how far I could go, and how harmonious my body could be. My hope is to run indoors during the winter and start running in the neighborhood when the weather permits again.

I attribute this newfound freedom to the safety and love that I get from my husband, friends and parents every day. Thank you, thank you, thank you.