How I "Became" A Runner

I had never been much of a runner. Growing up, I was an avid swimmer. I basically waddled on land. In fact, my running form probably still resembles the waddle... I have just come to accept that. I tried running on the track team in high school, but practices were right after school- let's just say August in Florida at 3:30 is not a time you want to be outdoors. Running. With an alcoholic resembling Santa Clause hoarsely yelling drills to keep pounding pavement. 

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I lasted two days. I kept in tip-top shape swimming on a club team two hours a day, made it to state all four years, was team captain, yada-yada-yada.

After high school, I went off to the university, where I was put in a box to come out just the same. (Weeds, anyone?) I stopped swimming and commenced the attempt to balance studying with drinking. While I managed to maintain a good GPA and become a champion of beer pong, I was not managing my fitness and weight very well. In high school, I had become accustomed to eating the equivalent of a small elephant every day and burning the calories at practice. College did not fare well on my ass, thighs, chin, etc. etc., enough with the visual. I got myself a degree, but I was none too happy about my fitness level, or lack thereof.


While studying to take my board exam, I moved back home to fall on my default job: ocean lifeguarding. I had done this as a summer job in years past, so it was an easy re-certification. I had one problem: I almost died trying to run two miles in under twenty minutes. I finished, but it was not pretty. I think there was even gagging and wheezing involved. How embarrassing. After taking a quick glance (or longer) at all of the chiseled bodies around me, I realized how energetic and motivated they all were, whereas I was fatigued, grumpy, and unhappy with my appearance. They were all Happy, Chiseled Dwarfs (if some a little Dopey), and I felt like the Grumpy Dwarf who was also drinking a PBR and yelling at children. I knew there was only one solution: start eating better and whip my ass back into shape- summed into two words I cringed at? Lifestyle Change.  

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I started off with minimal motivation, but this was the only cardio option I had. It was free, I didn't need to buy any equipment, and I didn't need to go anywhere except out my front door. When I first started running, I was angry a lot during the runs. I felt like I couldn't breathe, the sun was too hot, the air was too wet, my chest hurt, and Jesus-will-someone-please-get-me-a-beer ran through my head a lot. I pushed through these times with one goal- to finish. I once read that "perseverance is a synonym of victory." I did whatever it took: I strapped headphones to my head with a sweatband to blast angry music, counted sidewalk cracks, made 10 foot goals to achieve (..just need.. to make it... to the next... telephone pole), and so on. I rarely stopped unless the side stitches got so bad that I couldn't move. There were times when my "running" pace was probably slower than a fast walk (read: four miles in fifty-three minutes), but I kept the running motion going despite my body telling me that I couldn't. Or probably because my body was telling me that I couldn't. I never have been good with limits. 


So, yes, it started out as hell. Some days, it still is- but pushing through the more difficult workouts is what makes me stronger, mentally and physically. Eighteen months ago, I would have laughed had someone told me I would be able to finish a 5K in under 30 minutes. Now, I love a good run- my best days have started with a 4-mile jog before breakfast. Plus, the more I run, the more beer I get to drink. Win-win?