How can these people run better than I did decades ago? Is something wrong with me? I don't run. I was never good at running. I walk. I play (exercise) in the pool when it's open. I used to dance, but now I have to "guard" my knees.
Running just isn't me. I tried, really.
In my mid-30's when my youngest was in infant I joined some friends for a jog every night. They jogged; I ran, and they were still faster than me. They made it look effortless. I struggled and I suffered. I had never before in my life experienced so much pain, back pain, knee pain, but I persevered.
For over four years, religiously I ran six days/nights every week. I didn't run on Shabbat, but after Shabbat and after breaking fasts on some water and fruit, I'd be out there pounding that pavement. I finally stopped when I visited my parents in New York and didn't have any place to run. The running/jogging didn't suit the visit. I was there with my two young sons. I couldn't just disappear. When I got back home to Shiloh, Israel, I just never resumed running. It was a relief.
I understand that running/jogging is easy for some people; they don't suffer constant pain or injury. I'm not telling them to stop, but we're all different. I'm no lazy, wimpy couch potato; I'm just "allergic" to running. Just like I could never have a "model's figure," no matter how much weight I lose, I'll never run a marathon.
Do you want to meet me for a walk around the neighborhood?
2 comments:
I don't like jogging either. And yet running seems so easy and simple to take up that I do feel guilty regularly too.
When some people run, it does seem easy, but it wasn't easy for me.
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