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On the run, again
After a long period of extreme laziness and poor physical fitness, I finally started running again a couple of weeks ago.
I’d like to tell you that this was an act of supreme willpower on my part. That I woke up one day and said to myself, “I am going to start running.” And that I created my own goals and worked diligently until I had achieved them.
Well, that’s not true. Actually, not really at all.
The truth goes more like this: Matt sent an email a few weeks ago inviting me to join Team FeedBurner for the Bastille Day 5k on July 14 (this Thursday). Being a) a new employee eager to get involved and make a good impression, b) ambitious about the opportunities that lay before me in this grand city, and c) ready to start a regiment of regular exercise again, I said “sure” and committed myself to running 3.1 miles through the West Loop. Yikes!
So, like any good nerd would do, I created a new Basecamp project for the run and plotted out a series of milestones that would have me up to 30 minutes by the 14th. Then, I came across Paul’s wonderful Gmap Pedometer (thanks Matt) and began putting distance to time. Suddenly, I was enjoying charting my progress — and most importantly, enjoying running.
How am I doing? Not breaking any records, but doing well enough. Thursday’s run won’t kill me.
And I’m definitely feeling great. Physical gains aside, it’s nice to have an opportunity to get away from the computer a few times a week. Learning the streets in our neighborhood has been a nice side benefit as well. There’s nothing like exploring a neighborhood by sidewalk to really get a feel for it.
If you don’t mind, wish me luck on Thursday evening. Hopefully I won’t need it, but every little bit helps.