My first mile

Many evenings my husband and I load the girls up in the stroller and go for a walk.  A nice leisurely stroll that entertains Sunshine and calms Squeaker for the night.  Every night we go I think, "there's my exercise for the day, I'm doing so good."   Yup, time after time I lie to myself.  Don't get me wrong.  It's good to take a walk, something is always better than nothing.  However, if my ultimate goal is to run a marathon, well.....yeah, need something more.  So today I started.  I walked a five minute warm up, then came my first sprint.  Only fifteen seconds into it, my legs were on fire and my lungs felt like they were going to burst.  I thought this over and over again.  I pushed for sixty seconds then began my two minute recovery walk (remember, I haven't run for almost three years and I've put on about sixty pounds since the last time) and I decided I could do this.  I just can't think about it hurting.  Ninety percent of the pain was in my mind anyway and as long as I pushed, I would get to the other side.  By the third sprint I couldn't "feel" any pain.  In fact, I felt good.  My body began to remember how to run.  My legs moved and pushed and it was amazing.  Twenty-five minutes later and I was back home.  Sixteen minutes.  That's how long it took me to go a mile.  My first mile in three years.  Now, I didn't run the whole time, but I will work up to that.  Little by little I will make it.