The First Time

Your mind is set and you are wanting to do this so bad, but you are still scared.... Scared of the unknown..... It's a glorious warm 60 degrees out, warmth that you have not felt in months! You tell yourself yes I am going to do this TODAY!! It might snow again tonight, so I will do this now. I put on my alo pants and my New Balance running shoes. Walked to the kitchen and downed some water. I then got my partner all ready and we were out the door!

We jumped, dodged, and maneuvered around the slushy mud as much as possible, that is until we reached a hard substance underfoot. Then it was on! We ran and ran, until I had a hard time breathing, then I would slow down for a bit. My partner would sometimes fumble on my feet, thus making me get out of my rhythm, but all in all I have a wonderful partner! Then I would pick up the pace again until those dang lungs would give me fits again, then the side stitches began.... Was I just going to fast or were my lungs not used to being in the still cool weather? Who knows, but I still kept going. There was no stopping me. Towards the end my mind controlled my body and here is what it said... "you are not going to stop, you will do this!!" I was totally IN THE ZONE!

We reached the home stretch and I felt great other than the bit of pain in my side. We trekked along and made it back though the mud and slush. Then It was time to give my partner a much needed bath!

Let me tell you running is such an exhilarating feeling! I love it so much! This is the first time that I have done a run that was not on the treadmill. It was a bit weird at first, but then I got the hang of it really well. That is besides not being able to breathe all that great. I think that I was actually running faster than what I was used to running on the treadmill, because it does not go all that fast. I think I had a really great time of 2.11 miles in 30 minutes!

I have a wonderful running partner though, his name is Brody and he is a German Shepard. He may look all big, bad and tough, and his bark might scare the living bejeauses out of you, but he keeps a great pace with me. So you could say he is my running partner and body guard, although if someone came up to him he would more than likely run in the opposite direction, dragging me behind.

My partner Brody!