Running

Almost a year ago, I embarked on a bit of a health craze.  I decided I was going to spend the year trying to  make myself as healthy as I possibly could be--mentally, physically, emotionally, creatively, wholly.  I worked on my diet, cut alcohol out during the week (for the most part...), cut my coffee to half-caffinated and no more than a cup a day (for anyone who knows me, you know this is a HUGE DEAL), pumped up the vitamins and minerals, went to a therapist and my primary doc often to make sure I was on the right track, meditated, woke up early and went to bed at a reasonable time.  The list goes on and on.  Seriously, I was the perfect patient.

In addition to all of this, I dusted off the old running shoes and hit the pavement.

DISCLAIMER:  I am in no way a serious runner.  By saying that "I run", I do not mean that "I run all the time and I love it all the time and I run far and I run races and I'm a bad ass runner."  I mean that I run a few times a week, a few miles at a time, just enough to get my heart pumping and keep my psyche happy.  Oh, and not get fat.

Anyway, getting back into running has definitely had it's ups and downs.  Sometimes, I'll have a great run on Monday and a totally horrible run on Wednesday.  It's not always kitties and bunnies.  But I can say that never fail, I never feel healthier and more energized than after a run.  And that's enough of a reason to keep it up.  Plus my butt is getting huge and even though all my clothes (and therefore my bank account) hate it, the Mr. seems to love it.

I ran across this little gem the other day and I couldn't resist sharing it here with you.  I was literally laughing out loud.  Seriously, click here and read it.

My favorite tip:  Getting a run in before happy hour means you get tipsy on half a glass of wine instead of your usual two. That’s not being a lush, that’s just sound economic planning.

Hey, like I said, I cut alcohol out of my week most of the time.

So, even if you only run for 5 minutes without stopping, it's more than a lot of people can do, and you'll feel awesome.  Plus, you'll feel less guilty about the chocolate cake you eat afterward.

Here's to health!
--MEL



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