more movement

The body is amazing, isn't it? What it can withstand, what it can do?

I didn't realize the power of my body or of myself until I had my first child. Pregnancy and birth was a revelation to me. Now, I don't believe that a person has to carry a child/give birth to have that revelation, nor do I think everyone who does has one, but that's what it took for me to see my body and its potential in a new way.

At the end of January, I started my first run clinic. It was for beginners and we would work up from running/walking 1 minute/1 minute to 10 minutes/1 minute and hopefully be running between three to five kilometres by the end. It was something I wanted to do, but it scared me. I hadn't run since gym in high school, and hadn't had a regular run practice since elementary school. (Every student grade four and up had to run two kilometres a day, every day. We were a fit school.) It doesn't take a genius to figure out that it has been decades since then.

The beginner run clinic finished last week, and I was able to do it. Running 10/1 by the end felt good--something I was not expecting. I like to run. I really like to run.

With much trepidation, I signed up for the next clinic. In twelve weeks, I should be running 10K. We had our first class yesterday and up until then, the longest I had ever run without walking was ten minutes. Our first run as a group was 3K. I was worried, but it went really well. I didn't miss the walking break at all and I felt great. I know the next few weeks are going to be hard, but I also know that I will be running 10K by then. Just to think, three months ago the idea that I could even run five minutes straight without having a heart attack was inconceivable to me.

If you live in Vancouver and are at all interested in running, I strongly recommend checking out Kintec. The instructors are great. My first instructor was an ultra-marathoner who just completed his 150th ultra-marathon (races 50-100K) and he's younger than I am. We had guest speakers like Gold Medalist Robert Esmie talking about goals (and letting us try on his Olympic medal!) and Canadian National Triathlete Jon Shepherd teach us proper warm-up methods.

Anyway, this is a diversion from regularly scheduled programming--I'm just so excited about where I'm headed, taking on these new physical challenges. It's also inspiring me to push myself in my writing life, too. Isn't that what life is about? Challenging oneself?

Is there anything you're doing lately that is surprising you? Challenging you?