Rediscovering the Joy of Running
Last week, I was down with a fever, flu and a bad sore throat. Being ill made my head really fuzzy and my body weak, and I spent most of my time in slumber, only waking to eat or drink. Naturally, I stopped any form of exercise, which included my daily evening runs.
When you stop a habit you have been keeping for some time, restarting it is actually quite hard. For the past three days, I have been well enough to continue my running routine, but I kept making excuses, like the weather being too hot and sunny. Today however, after a short workout at home, I felt a little of that running itch. I think it's because when you have been maintaining a habit for a long enough time, even if you have broken the streak, your body will still remind you of it when the time comes. I decided to put on my running shoes and a cap, and head out into the sun.
Just one round, I thought to myself. I started off at a slow pace, waking my legs up and slowly got used to the rhythm. Amazingly, it actually felt good. Yes, my stamina had dropped, but pounding away on the road, was a refreshing relief. It felt as if I hadn't been moving my body for a long time and I was finally free to move my limbs however I wish.
I finished my jog with a few quicker strides, putting my muscles to work. With the sun still glaring at me, I retreated back into the cool living room and did some stretches, still soaked completely in sweat.
I never expected to find running so enjoyable again. Before I got sick, I was running every evening and I often found it a tough and boring task. I never really enjoyed the process, only wanting to get my workout done as quickly as possible. Today, I have regained the joy of running, after a week of inaction. Sometimes we just need to take a short break from something we have been doing non-stop. And when we get back to it again, we might rediscover the initial spark.
