Fitness: Milestones

I come from a long line of criers.

As the women in my family age, we develop the usual aches and pains, gray hairs and smile lines.  We also cry more...a lot more. 

The last time I cried, I had a darn good reason.  I cried for joy, for the joy and soul-satisfaction of reaching a goal that has been impossibly out of reach all my life.

I ran a mile.

As I realized I was going to reach that unattainable goal, and, yes, even exceed it, all I could do was weep.  Maybe it sounds silly to you, but it couldn't be more serious or significant to me.

I ran a mile.

Happy, Satisfied, Exhausted Tears

I RAN A MILE! 

It all started two months ago, when the elliptical machine started to bore me.  I was afraid I'd stop exercising, revert to bad habits and start to kill myself, ever so slowly, all over again.

That's when I ran across this terribly British series of podcasts, the NHS Couch Potato to 5K program.

I decided to try it, and I'm so glad I did.  I haven't gone straight through, and I haven't been perfectionistic about it.  I've kept my pace and approached it like I would a new recipe.  I'm following the instructions to the letter this first time through, and it is WORKING.