Just some observations of a new runner (for fellow new runners who might actually care):

The first half of your run, however long it is, is exhilarating. You’re all grace with limbs moving rhythmically to the beat on your IPOD, the swing of your ponytail keeping perfect time, too. If someone asked, you’d tell them you’re pretty sure you could run for at least a few hours. Maybe indefinitely. No problem.

But once you hit your halfway mark, things change. The terrible realization that you are ONLY halfway there actually occurs to you. The agony of running rears its painful head and steals every ounce of grace you had (or thought you did). You’re ready to flail your arms Phoebe Bouffet-style and you really don’t care what passing drivers think. If that helps get you home, so be it. You check you’re IPOD for a motivational song to get you through, all the while knowing there isn’t a song ever recorded that could save you now.

But you keep going (even if you start thinking you may need to schedule an appointment with you doctor to look into knee replacement surgery). You keep going and sometimes (but not all the time) the dreadful running feeling passes. You overcame. It’s mind over matter. It’s really not that hard. What were you complaining about back there, anyway?

But sometimes that doesn’t happen. But it doesn’t matter how you feel, as long as you finish. Personally, I’m waiting for that runner’s high feeling. I’m beginning to doubt its existence.