Can we talk about Running?

Confession: I love to run!
Once upon a time, in a life, long long ago, I used to run.  I love running! I loved how it made me feel, well, not during the actual running, but the endorphin kick an hour or two after the run.  In fact, the very first time I ran, my friend, Susan Wright, talked me into staying after school to run track with her.  This was not a hard thing to convince me to do since a very cute boy, whom I liked bunches, stayed to do field events also.

That first day, we ran a total of 10 miles between warm ups and all the splits we ran.  I was young, only 14, which made it possible to survive this craziness.  After they dropped me at my house, they told me they would be back in a few hours to go to a dance at the school.  I told them to just go without me, because I was probably going to bed.  To die.  Susan and cute boy knowingly told me, that I would be fine, and they would be there at 9 pm.

I tried to die. I did. But then those lovely endorphins hit.  I was hooked!  I could not believe how fantastic I felt!  Beyond fantastic!  I bounced around that dance like a crazy baby bunny, and continued to run many times a week until I had my oldest 6 years later.  

I ran when I was happy, I ran when I was angry, I ran when I was bored.  I wanted to run forever.  

Over the years I have missed this time.  I have tried to do it, over the past, but my weight was too taxing on this idea.  I hurt like crazy, and it was pointless to try.  It really was.  I could never walk the next day, and that was when I tried running 100 yards at a time, walk, then try again.  

Now I can, I am running further and further each time I run.  It feels wonderful, and I could get addicted to that, in a big hurry, but I am afraid.  I feel justified in that fear as well. Knees.  My knees.  Can you imagine the trauma I have put them through????  

They always used to hurt, and every step I took, there was a clicking sound.  Loud and audible like the click of this keyboard I type on.  Now, I do not have those problems, but the damage has all been done.  

My solution is to only run twice a week.  I walk miles and miles every day, but I would like to not kill my recovering knees.  

But those two times.  Oh the joy I feel!  It feels like youth!  It feels like freedom.  It feels like a heaven on Earth.  I love it so much, I wish I could share the elation in my heart as I run! How many years I have longed to have that liberating feeling that running brings me!  I swear its elation is too much!  But its finally mine, again.

I am slow. Really slow.  But I don't care.  I am not 14 years old anymore.  (nor would I ever want to be.) 

Oh- did I mention that a very very cute boy likes to run with me?

He is super hot.