My sister, always the athletic one, wants to start running again. She asked me to help her, to get her into some training. Maybe motivate her a little. (This is how we know we’re grown up. She can ask for help, I can give it, and we both come out alive.)
So today, after my long run, I met up with her and we did a little “trial run.” She needs some time to get acclimated, not just to running again but to living at six thousand feet. When you run here and you just start out, you are pretty sure your lungs are going to burst into flames. It takes a couple weeks to adapt to that- the feeling doesn’t go away, but you get used to it.
We set out for three miles today, with planned walk breaks. We made it through a half mile, she was still smiling. We walked a bit, and then ran another half mile. I stood there, beaming at her with pride. A new or returning runner is always so exciting, but when it’s your sister [and you're me] it’s all you can do to not jump up and cheer her on with pom poms.
“You just did something 99% of people cannot do,” I told her, as we took another short walk break.
“What?” she asked me, while she gulped her water.
“Most people on this planet cannot run one mile. How do you feel?”
“Dumber than most people on the planet, to tell you the truth.”
This is going to be great!
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Thanks so much to everyone who commented and emailed regarding my last post. I know that by and large, everyone I ever “know” here or anywhere else on Earth is great and sometimes, there are exceptions. It makes me appreciate you all more, that’s for sure.
Between you all and being able to look at this little face everyday, I have no worries. Life is good.
