I was a fat kid. It sucked.
School track meets were traumatic, gym class was a nightmare, and it was emotionally trying to wade through the awkward waters of adolescence in a thick, wobbly frame.
Being overweight made it hard to enjoy exercise, so I never really pushed myself physically. (Except for softball. I played a mean first base.)
Through it all, I had supportive parents who loved me for who I was and I managed to carve out a good self-esteem despite the challenges. My dad is an accomplished long distance runner who trains six days a week. I joked that his athletic genes skipped a generation, but when I lost weight in high school, I began to explore the world of exercise for the first time.
I took up running but kind of hated it. I maxed out at 10 km and had to push myself through every stride. In years ahead I ran the Vancouver Sun Run and tried to keep up with running but it was a hate-hate relationship that came to a crashing halt when I developed Plantar Fasciitis (an awful heel injury) that benched me. Then I had a bunch of babies and kind of forgot about fitness for a half-decade. No biggie.
After my last child was born, I committed to getting back into shape and have attended a boot camp class for the past three years. It’s been good, but I have been feeling the pull to try running again. So, very slowly and carefully, I am lacing up my shoes again and working my way through the Couch To 5Km program. It’s been humbling and empowering at the same time.
I am going to run a 5 k race with my dad in June this year and am excited about sharing that moment with him after all these years.
Now I have to worry about getting chicked by both my daughter and granddaughters.
I have such mixed thoughts on running…so many people just love it, but I’ve never managed to catch the bug (after trying several times). And running injuries are so common…but I think at the lower distances (like 5 or 10k) it’s an excellent pastime – not too straining on the body and a great way to get moving and enjoy the great outdoors (bonus: you save on gym membership too!) Good luck with your training…I’ve signed up for the Colour Me Rad race here in Calgary – I figure if the lure of fluorescent bombs doesn’t get me moving then nothing will!
Awesome! I’ve seen your dad run. I wish I had his stamina! I signed up for a 10k in May and I’m terrified. I developed that awesome Plantar Fasciitis and it takes forever to recover from that jerk. Here’s hoping I don’t die. Good luck to you! You can do it!!
wow! good luck 🙂 i should find a nice 5k to try….i’m usually last at my 8 year old’s running club at school!