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Running Out of Excuses Not to Run

My Introduction to Running

Me v/s the MinionOne day, my 4-year old excitedly informed me he named one of his minions: ‘mom’.
I must’ve considered at least a hundred different reasons for this until he finally told me that I was bestowed this tremendous honor because this particular character was the only minion with brown glasses.

Almost immediately, I found myself laughing at how I could’ve missed the most obvious justification primarily because up until that point in my life, I only did things for predictable reasons: I studied because grades mattered, worked because I wanted the experience, and ran because what else was I going to do when I wasn’t studying or working? I didn’t think about why I wanted to run in the first place. Sometimes I ran away from things. Other times, I ran towards better things. I ran, simply, because it made sense. And when something makes sense, you do more of it. 
Side of the Road in Halat, Lebanon

Why I Started Running Again

Two pregnancies and an endless list of responsibilities later, I stopped running simply for lack of time. And then, COVID-19 happened and I suddenly realized that being healthy can’t be a final goal you fixate on accomplishing just once only to cross it off your list the second you achieve it.

So, I decided that if I wanted to run again, I had to gear up to make sure I was comfortable enough to enjoy the ride: I got my hands on a pair of ultra-boost running shoes and finally invested in a compression sports bra! The stretchy knitwear on my flexible sneakers meant plenty of wiggle room and lots of (much-needed!) ventilation. My sports bra, on the other hand, was ultra-tight and offered a ‘locked-in’ feel that would make even a high-impact activity, like running, feel like an effortless glide. I was ready to get back on the road.

What Running Feels Like

Open Road in Jbeil, Lebanon
As a working mom with two young kids, the rule is that I’m constantly stressed, exhausted, and sleep-deprived, and the exception is that I’m well-rested! That said, it’s hard for me to compare the ‘runner’s high’ to anything else because, for me, it consists of a complex combination of feelings:

1- You’re tired, but your legs go numb.
2- You want a break, but can’t seem to stop moving your feet.
3- You’ve nailed your breathing exercises, yet the smallest distraction can make you skip a breath and feel like you’re having an asthma attack.

In short, you metamorphose into Hulk – A big lean indestructible machine.

So why does this cyclops continue to run? The answer is as obvious as the chunky brown glasses forever resting comfortably on the sides of my primordial nose: 

I might not always have good days, but I know I’ll always have good running days.

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