Even now as I sit and think about it, over 12 hours ago, my morning run seems dreadful. 45 minutes of pounding the pavement, raising my heart rate, and torturing my feet. Now don’t get me wrong, I love to workout. I love the sense of pushing my body as hard as it can go and then pushing more. I love the feeling of hitting the wall and then finding my second wind. I love the slight muscle ache when I’ve really hit it hard. I just hate running.
I hate getting up before the sun and 95% of the county. I hate the treadmill on the days that I can’t make it outside. I hate the blisters on my feet and the knots in my calves. I hate the dry skin under my nose because I have perma-snot from being out in the cold. I hate the way I feel as I trod up the seemingly endless hill. I hate running.
I am not a runner by nature. I didn’t grow up running track or cross country. Hell, I don’t think I could even run a full mile until three years ago. I can’t debate the difference between training shoes and a good pair of racing flats. I started running because I was fat. I’m not talking obese fat, I’m talking about middle age spread, PTA mom girth. I needed something to prevent me from becoming what I’ve seen so many other women my age become. I started to run. I wish I could say that as the pounds came off, it became easier. I wish I could tell you that I fell in love with the sport and religiously followed the elite distance runners. It would all be a lie. I even cancelled my subscription to Runner’s World because I hate running.
So where does my love for this awful sport come in? I love what running does for me. I love that I can put on a pair of shoes, without much forethought and head out the door. I love how my legs look now that I’ve been at it for three years. I love that I can conquer hills on my bike because I’ve improved my overall fitness. I love that I can pick up a pair of skinny jeans and know that they’ll fit. I love that over the course of an hour I can burn 600 calories. I love that, if I choose, I can sign up for a 5K and place well in my age group. I love how I feel when my run is done.
