Spring fever

Today was a beautiful day. The sun was shining (almost) and the temperature was above 65 degrees. What better day to have my first spring run?
I don’t run outside in the winter. It’s cold out there. My lungs hate the cold air. They get mad at me for taking them out and subjecting them to the frigid temperatures while gasping for breath. I’ve tried those things that cover half your face. They are less than ideal. I feel like I’m suffocating. So no - no running in the winter.
Well, having taken 4-5 months off, I knew I couldn’t pick up where I left off. Plus, I had this knee injury at the end of last season and I was worried that it wouldn’t like running any more. Let’s add one more excuse to the mix: I got new running shoes that hadn’t been broken in yet.
So we put all that together and I looked like a duck learning how to take off. Within the first few steps I realized my shoulders were touching my earlobes. It not only looks funny, it feels funny. I pushed them back down and shook my arm out.
By this time, my breathing was off. Breathing well is essential to enjoying your run. If you aren’t controlling it, it hurts. I worked on it. I kept telling my body to relax; this was supposed to be fun.
At the half mile mark I was still jogging. The road hit the up-hill and I chugged along like the Little Engine That Could.
At the top of the hill – it clicked. My body got over the winter blah and kicked it into gear. I stepped lighter. I breathed easier. I even smiled. It was a self-satisfied smile – I admit it.
Since it all felt so good, I did another lap. My total distance: 1.6 miles. Not as long as the 6-8 I was running in the fall, but longer than I planned on. Who knows how far I can go?