Who Needs Air?

I've been working out more lately. I've never been particularly happy with the way I look, but I've always had various excuses for why I couldn't change. I knew that running is immensly good for you, but it always hurt. Honestly, one of the happiest days of my adolescence was when I got a mole removed on my ankle and the dermatologist said I ought not to run the mile in the upcoming fitness test. 

I've realized that in elementary school, they didn't have us stretch properly, and that was why my legs would hurt when I ran. After I learned to stretch, I just hated running because I'm rather fond of being able to breathe, and as much as I thought I was, I apparently was unable to do both at the same time. 

I actually managed to go to the gym each day this week, Monday through Friday, and I realized today (Friday), that sometime during this week of spending 30 minutes on the eliptical each day, I've learned how to breathe. Maybe I just wasn't breathing deeply enough before. Maybe I was just too distracted to remember to breathe. But as I plowed through my first mile, I realized, "Hey! I'm a little tired, but I'm not breathless! This is amazing!"

I still wouldn't say I actively like running, but I'm amazed that I finally am not 110% averse to the idea. I'm also astonished that it's taken me 20 years to learn to do something as simple and basic as breathing. I guess I'm not such a quick learner after all. But at least I made it.