I think I can understand now why other people enjoy running. Don’t get me wrong, I still feel like this most of the time:
But I’ve started to feel good afterwards. So good, in fact, that I promptly forget how miserable I feel during my jogging intervals and start looking forward to my next run. I just finished week 3 of Couch to 5K, which involved intervals of running for 3 minutes straight. That seems like nothing, but seeing how much I struggled with 60 and 90 seconds in the first two weeks, it was a big deal for me. I had a breakthrough on Friday which should have been so obvious: water.
I used to drink a lot of water before I went out and when I got home, but none while I was running. Carrying a bottle just seemed too cumbersome. But I decided to try it on Friday and it made such a big difference. I didn’t even mind carrying the bottle because it gave me something to do with my hands.
I was feeling good — I had just finished my run without crapping out and was on the cool down, when I realized my headband was missing. I like to wear a headband to keep the sweat and flyaway hairs off my face. It’s not a fancy fitness band — it’s a cotton headband that I bought at least 15 years ago during my headband phase. It had sentimental value — I was not going to just leave it on the ground somewhere in Regent’s Park. So I backtracked, scanning the ground as I walked. But walking is slow, so I started running — not so much for fitness this time, but necessity — I needed time to get back and shower before going out to lunch with a friend. I alternated jogging and walking all the way back to the rose garden, where I saw a glimmer of blue hanging off the main gate. My headband must have fallen off somewhere in the garden and someone hung it up on the gate hoping I’d find it. I tucked it into my pocket (who knows where it had been) and took off towards the zoo, having backtracked about a mile. I felt no shame ordering french fries at lunch.
The incident reminded me of the time I lost my ID badge for work in Chicago, which is a bit more important than a headband. I scanned the sidewalk between my office and apartment in a panic and eventually found my badge hanging from a fence where someone had obviously placed it. I guess sweaty headbands and ID badges are not top theft items, but it’s still nice when people are nice.
Reneedezvous 