50th Birthday, Personal Mini Marathon

Taken 10/4/12. Almost a grandma–that would happen 1/23/13.This is a fitting pic as I begin to write about running through middle age.

But today is June 17, and my little granddaughter is nearing the 5 month mark. She is sleeping as I write this first post. When she napped briefly this morning, I hopped on the treadmill, but I was only able to accomplish 30 minutes. After she woke, I took her for a mile-long stroller adventure, running some of that mile. She enjoyed the occasional bump in the sidewalk, but it wasn’t a true effort to run on my part. Tonight, when she goes home, I will have exhausted all of my middle aged vim and vigor and will promise myself, “I’ll get up early tomorrow and run before she arrives,” which is 8:00am. But I am a promise-breaker!

I’ve got to shore up my commitment to running because it makes me a better person. I am a daughter to elderly parents, a wife of 28 years to my college sweetheart, mother of three young adult children, and the role most dear to my heart, grandmother to one, whom I have nicknamed “JRoo.”

I’m running to stay healthy, young at heart, young in mind, body, and spirit. I run because I want to be the best I can be and because even when I hate running, I also still love it. I’ll never be fast; I’ll never be smooth or look great while running. It doesn’t matter. Life is not about speeding everything up; it’s about enjoying it, sharing it and finding meaning. I’m living a privileged life–I’ve lived to see my first grandchild, and my body still “goes.” These are not small things, and I’m not taking them for granted. Someday I will not be able to run one more step. Today is not that day, so I’m celebrating with the creation of this blog.