Chariots of Fire

When I started running at the beginning of last summer, I could not run longer than a mile (or 12 to 15 minutes). It's not that I had never run before. I had been on the cross country team in middle school and, as an adult, I have run on and off for exercise on the treadmill - but never more than a mile.

I started running again last summer for weight loss. My weight started increasing seemingly inexplicably. I was not eating any more junk than I usually did, and I was not exercising any less than usual (it's hard to do less than nothing!). I therefore came to the conclusion that my metabolism had changed...and not to my advantage.

Not being much of a dieter - I become lightheaded and nauseous if I do not consume enough calories - I realized that the only way to return to a healthy weight would be to exercise. I also realized that the only exercise that I could engage in that would be independent of the children's schedules and the availability of childcare would be running around my neighborhood...at 5 AM.

I believed I could...so I did.

Gradually (very gradually), I increased my distance. In September, I ran my first 5K...EVER! I continued to run. I increased my speed. I lost some weight. In December, I ran another 5K with my eight year old daughter. It was her first race...EVER!

Then I stopped. I told myself that I would take two or three weeks off, because I needed to use that early morning time for Christmas preparations. After Christmas, the bitter cold set in, and after that...it was something else...

In February, when I tried to run again, I got very sick during the run. I was not physically prepared for the distance that I had attempted, and my heart certainly sent the message. It was frightening. At that point I realized that I had to start back at mile one and gradually increase my distance...again.

I had not run since that day. After losing all the stamina that I had so painfully gained, I was discouraged. Eventually, I even lost the desire to take care of my body and my health in that fashion.

...Until one day last week on a beach in St. Augustine. While laying on a beach towel, I mentioned to my husband that I was inspired to run on this beach. Then something unimaginable happened...he encouraged me!! He said that I should certainly do it if I wanted to and that he would be happy to watch the kids while I took a little run.

Unimaginable!

Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of encouragement from the right person at the right time.

I grabbed my "Little Coach" (my name for the running app on my phone), and took to the cool sand along the shore. I ran a mile - the most important mile. This was the mile that said I was back in the race. It said I was willing to start again...loving and caring for myself. I ran like in Chariots of Fire, barefoot on the beach, splashing through tidal pools, with the salty wind on my face and in my hair and the roar of the ocean as my playlist.