mile run

Let's go back to my childhood. I was never good in PE. I didn't like it. I was afraid of catching balls. I had weak arms, so I couldn't throw worth a dang. I could bat alright, but horrible out in the field for baseball. I couldn't run very fast... PE was just not my thing and I was alright with that....until people were choosing teams, and I was usually one of the last picked...but that was even alright, I guess....
So, in 7th grade PE when we were told we were going to run the mile regularly, I thought I was going to die. Amazingly, the first mile run I ever did, right after lunch, running in the school halls around the gymnasiam. I ran in 8 minutes! I can't remember if I walked through any of it, but I was still quite impressed. I could run! I was one of the first finishers. I didn't die. I can't say that I loved it, but I was good at it and I loved that. I joined track and ran the 8hundred, the mile and the 2 mile. Eventually, my best time was 5:57. and 13:00 2 mile. I don't remember my cross country scores, but I did fairly well. There was another girl in our school who was super fast. so, I was never the fastest, but always one of.
Towards the end of my high school career, I would develop a cramp during the 2 mile that was soo severe, I had to eventually give up the sport. The cramp would last for the rest of the week. The drs couldn't figure out what it was...stress was their guess. but that didn't make sense to me at all.
Anyways, since that time I haven't run. Nowadays, I use a treadmill to keep in shape when I am not working construction much. I hate it, because I think exercising just to exercise is very boring. so I will usually incline my treadmill to 10. set the pace fairly decent. and hang on so I can read through the 20 minutes to an hour. sometimes I will watch tv. but I will always go slow enough and hang on so I can see the words or hear or whatever. My comfort always comes first. I have tried running just for old times sake, but I am so out of shape that I will only last a few minutes before I go back to walking. either I am out of breath, or bored. ;)...
Kaleb has been in track the last few years. I cannot get him to do distance, but it always gets me excited once again. I might start to attempt to go back to my teen years, and whip out a mile, but I usually give up.
Well, the other day I read a note posted by a friend of mine who took up running last year to lose a few pounds. here is a paragraph of what he wrote:

When I started running, it was one of the hardest things I’ve done. I hated it. Almost every muscle and joint in my body was sore. I had a hard time catching my breath. I could feel the pulsing of my heart pounding in my head. I felt like I would collapse at any given moment. Does any of this sound familiar?
I was determined though. I am not a quitter.
The first three or four months of running was painful. I had pain in my knees, pain in my ankles, pain in my back, shoulders, calves, thighs, arms, neck, etc. That was just the direct physical pain from running itself. Then there were the numerous blisters on my feet. I even lost two toenails – both at one time. They just fell off. My lungs and throat hurt. Sometimes I felt like my heart was tired. On warm days I just felt like I would keel over on the side of the road

I don't know why this touched me so much but I realized I was a quitter. I was always taking the easy way out. Granted I was getting on the treadmill...when it was convenient, but every time I ran, as soon as it started hurting I would go back to walking. I would not let my body be uncomfortable...and because of that I was letting it stay weak!
I decided that needed to change. I don't want to become a great runner. I don't want to run a marathon or anything like that. I just want to run a mile in a decent time. so.....I made a goal with myself, and I am determined not to quit. I decided I will run 1 mile at least 5 times a week. I am keeping track of the pace I start and stop, of my time and how many calories I burn...only 121 or so. NOT FAIR! I am not doing this to lose weight though...just to prove that I still have it in me.
I have run three times this week so far. I am running a 10 minute mile! which blows me away. I feel like I am running fast...It is sickening. I think my treadmill has to be wrong! ;). But, it feels good. I decided I can handle torturing myself in 10 minute increments!
I don't want to be a quitter anymore! or a wimp! Thanks Dean for inspiring me!