Tuesdays with Kevin (not Morrie)

When I was training for the 3-Day, Tuesdays involved a 4-5 mile training walk. It just so happened that there was a route to a gorgeous park just 1.5 miles away and walking around the park was another 1.5 miles. Add in the walk home and I was getting my 4.5 miles (I would usually take a long route home to finish the 5 miles).

Kevin began walking with me on Tuesdays. He brought Chester and when we got to the park, they would go running one direction while I walked the other. We would meet back up and walk home. I loved walking with him and that time together was a great way to talk about things without the usual distractions.

Since the 3-Day, the walking has stopped. I am on a new training regimen that is short and the intervals make it hard for Kevin to join. He's come with me a couple of times, but it just didn't work. In fact, last Tuesday he went to the gym instead of holding off on his workout so we could go together. I was pretty upset, to say the least, because I really did look forward to Tuesdays with Kevin.

This Tuesday, lesson learned on his part, he didn't go to the gym after work so he could run with me. When he got to my house we decided to walk to a closer park. The training regimen didn't involve any intervals, just straight running (20 minutes this time - working up to running 30 minutes non-stop) so Kevin ran with me for a bit. We got to walk and talk on the way to and from the park, but it was when we started running together that I got a glimpse of my dream and I loved it!

I wish I could have taken a picture of our shadows, side-by-side, as we ran together. I don't know if it's silly, but ever since I started dating Kevin I wanted to be able to run with him. I want to be that couple who goes to the park, taking turns pushing their kids in a three-wheeled stroller, as they run together.

I think this dream started 20 years ago when my cousin Amber was born and her mom would take her out in a running stroller to jog around their neighborhood. I was 6, but instinctively seemed to know I was not a runner and I yearned to be one. Of course, I never told anyone about this so no one thought to teach me to run.

Fast forward into my teen years and you see me watching couples jogging together at the park. I was jealous. I was fat, awkward and out of shape. I had crooked knee caps and was told running just wouldn't be a good idea for me. (Stupid doctor!)

Then, lets fast forward about ten more years and we meet Kevin. A runner. No, no, a marathoner. He woke up early every morning just to run. I was secretly in awe. When he was in college, Kevin was part of a running group and a film student made a short documentary about them. Showing me this video, Kevin also jokingly commented on the girl he was running beside and said that he'd  had a big crush on her, but that she wasn't interested. I watched the two of them running side-by-side and I knew what I wanted.

So, two years ago I tried to learn to be a runner, but it was awful. It was painful and hurt and I hated every minute of it. Clearly, I just wasn't ready. I wouldn't let Kevin see me take a single step and even went so far as to hide from him once when he was heading my direction. But, after running all of that 20 minutes Tuesday - much of it with Kevin (who was painfully, lovingly trying to keep pace with me, no matter how slow I was going!!!), I feel completely different.

I feel healthy and happy and I feel like I really and truly can become a runner. I feel like I'm closer to my dream than ever!

P.S. I know I should be blogging about weighing in at 150 pounds for the fourth week in a row, but I wanted to blog about something happy instead.