Running to Stand Still

There is nothing more demoralizing and ego-busting as seeing yourself lumber by at the end of your first 10K clad in spandex on video. This wasn’t the way I wanted to introduce you to my new world of running. However, I just viewed my 1378 finish in my first ever 10K race. I guess I envisioned myself something more gazelle like – or at least less donkey like. In fact, donkeys are faster and have more grace. Yet, there I am tagged for all my friends to see me hobble across the finish line. Pop! There goes my fantasy of a svelte me gliding by with my perfect hair flowing in the wind behind me. Instead, I looked as though some shot me in one leg.

When I thought about this post, I had picked out the song ‘Running to Stand Still’. I was going to joke that most of the running songs were too cliché – like Born to Run. And songs like Running on Empty or Keeps You Running were featured in Forest Gump. How I began running is more like Forest Gump so I didn’t need to go there. I was going to get all deep about how running – in a sense – made me feel still and deep and filled me with Zen. Then I saw a video of me running and the title took on a whole new meaning. I barely look like I’m running. At that point, I was probably running a good 6 to 6.5 mph.

I will save the story of how a runner was born for another day. All you need to know is that I am a runner (beginner or novice) and it has become a pretty big slice of my life.