Run

image from here

I am mad.  And it feels fabulous!

Now that my body is no longer required for breastfeeds at stupid-o'clock, and I needed to do something about my growing mid-section (and growing dissatisfaction for bits of life), I have taken up running.

The big thing about this for me is that I am not a runner.  I ran most of a 5km run in secondary school, I've run/walked Relay for Life a few times, and I do plenty of chasing around kidlets, but I am not a runner!  It's kind of a big deal for me.

The other mad part about this is that I'm not learning the art of running on beginner tracks.  I live on a hill that Peter Jackson toootally could've used for Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings movies, but there are too many houses on it.  I'm warming up by getting out of the house at 6am, walking downhill to the end of my street, then running up as far as I can until I am about to bust a lung, and stagger up to the crest of the hill where I can run the last few houses home.  The current goal is to be able to run all the way up the hill before my next birthday in April.  I'm getting a little further every day, but like I said, Mount Doom.  It feels so fabulous doing it though - my circulation is better, I'm warmer, I don't feel super-tired until at least 3pm (instead of midday!) and best of all, I feel better in general.  And I have some space to think (and pray) about some of the crazier bits in life without being interrupted, and with 2012 off to a shaky start for some very dear friends of ours, it has certainly given me the perspective I need. 

Yesterday I had the glory of a beautiful pink sunrise when I hit the crest. 
Today I learnt the value of running with a baseball cap when it rains.  I made it up the hill in gale-force winds going the wrong way (well for me anyway!) with one eye squinting through a very wet face mixed with yesterday's eye makeup (oops) and it was harrrrd! 
Tomorrow I'll get up and do it all again.