I forgot to mention, I live at 9,200 feet. Just a slight incline can take the wind out of me if I'm not into my routine. There is always that first push of breathlessness and then it's o.k.
Big adventure today! I ran more than one mile.
You know, I'm reading, "Younger Next Year," and either the book or the guy who told me about the book said (that the book said) "You have to push yourself to go beyond the norm..." No matter how hard I think my 1 mile run is, that's all I do. And where has that gotten me?
So, today, I decided to go further. I must say, after the fact, I drove the route and it was 2.7 miles more. so, I ran almost three miles today. (That's how far the detective chicks in the murder mystery books go)... And didn't die. Oh, I walked up one hill. Maybe tomorrow I'll go the other way so that hill is first rather than last.
Anyway,I figured, I've been running a mile (hit or miss) for about 18 years. I started running when I turned 40, and I'll be 58 in 2 months. Wow, how time flies. (or not)
I have run in the city and the country, high elevation and sea level. doesn't matter. always hard.
And I guess, I thought that getting older meant slowing down, but that is certainly not the case in the rest of my life (work, grandkids, art, music, projects, volunteer work) so why should exercise change? And the premise behind pushing myself further is that (according to the book) it sends the message to my body NOT to stop making new cells and NOT to pad on extra fat and NOT TO SLOW DOWN!
On my way up the driveway today, I didn't think I could go because: It was cold and I didn't wear longjohns under my sweats; I forgot a scarf and when I zip my jacket up all the way the zipper pokes my chin; I forgot to drink water (I could - uh - wither). Well, I go through this litany of excuses most every day. maybe, eventually, I'll change that mindset to all the reasons I CAN go UP and OUT of the driveway. With Joy.(like the Peaceful Warrior guy who ran with "Joy."
I must say, I was pretty wooped when I got back and did not even think about my chakras on the way down the hill. Maybe I didn't need to. maybe they were doing just fine all on their own. I did remember to look out at the mountains now and then and ENJOY THE VIEW. When I get to the top of my hill (the killer one) I see a panorama of Pike's Peak,the gray shades of the bluffs surrounding Canon City, the whole Sangre de Cristo range and the Wet Mountains behind my house. When not enjoying the view, I scan the roadway for sharp objects bad for tires.
The dog thought the run was pretty fun too, although a bit confused. She thinks any run is fun. and was only a bad dog once and stood in the middle of the road for one car (people gave me dirty looks) I said "bad dog" and she stayed where she was for the next vehicle, that didn't end up coming our way. Good dog.
Today, instead of feeling like I'm not getting anywhere and never will, I feel like maybe I could climb up to Conundrum Hot Springs.
By the way, the guy who told me to push myself had just climbed a 14er on his 67th birthday. so, here's to always looking UP.
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