If I’m being honest, I haven’t had a serious workout in about two weeks. Our definitions of ‘serious workout’ might be different, but I hate admitting that I’ve had more lazy days than productive ones.
Recently, however, I was reminded by one of my friends why I love to workout, and in particular, why I love running. I ran Cross Country my senior year of high school and loved it more than I thought I would. It was my outlet: a time to challenge myself and feel accomplishment when I pushed myself harder than ever before. I wasn’t the best on the team, but I loved how hard we all worked together to be a team.
Halfway through the season, I found out I had a stress fracture in my femur. Needless to say, my season was over. I was devastated particularly because I could hardly do any form of exercise until my leg healed.
My doctor told me I could swim once I was off crutches. The challenge was that swimming (obviously) isn’t running.
Flashback: On the first day of practice our Cross Country coach said to us, “Congratulations, you are officially runners and will be for the rest of your life”. I didn’t know what he meant until I could no longer run.
Near the end of the Cross Country season, I was cleared to run again.
My first day back it was cold and raining. My coach told me to run a lap around the track, walk a lap then repeat. So I did. My friend came out onto the track as I ran slow laps and asked me why I was running in the rain. I explained that I was running because I could.
That is exactly what working out should be….