no excuses

There was a time when I was decidedly not a runner.  Not only was I not a runner, but I prided myself in not being a runner.  My line to all my runner friends in college was, "I run when chased... sometimes."  But college was a time of partying, drinking and late night burritos, not a time of fitness.  Granted, I was a lifeguard and still jumped into the pool to swim laps a few times a week, but running was out of the question.  My stance on running was so accepted, that I remember one of my friends expressing her surprise when she heard that I ran for a bus.  I still can hear her tone of voice when she said, "You ran?!?"
I was thinking about that time of my life and how much has changed while I was out running in the Carolina heat and humidity this morning.  I got a late start (about three hours later than my usual start time) and it was hot.  Running in the heat is a lot harder than swimming in the heat.  Go figure.  I was having a tough time trying to keep my pace (because I not only run now, but I follow a training plan) and getting pretty discouraged when I remembered that voice.  "You ran?!?"  It is truly amazing what you can do when you decide to stop making excuses and just do it.*  Yes, I ran.  Today I ran seven miles at a 9:29 min/mile pace in ninety degree heat and humidity.  I'm slower than a lot of people, but I'm faster than a lot of people too.  I am I certainly faster than all the people who still think that running is not an option.

* while I have no intention of doing PR for Nike, the slogan fits.