One year ago today, I stepped out into the frigid winter weather and ran and walked a few laps in the fields behind my home, following an iPhone app call C25K (couch to 5k). It is designed to prepare you to run a 5k within 7 weeks. It was miserable, all seven weeks of it, but after seven weeks, I ran a cold 5k at Camp Creek State park, finished in 27 minutes and placed second in my age group. I've kept it up for a year now and can say now I am a runner. A year ago, I said that "I hike. period." But after the charity race that I started this whole thing for was over, I noticed that my blood pressure, which had moved from normally low to the high side of normal, was back to low again. And, my resting pulse rate is now in the 50's. I do not run miles and miles, usually 5-9 a week.This year I've ran over 250 miles, 11 5k's and a five miler. In my age group I have two 2nd's a 3rd, a 4th and two 5th place finishes. In a couple of small races, I have a 2nd male overall and 2nd overall. I consistently finish 5k's in 25 minutes or so.
Tonight, my one year anniversary of that first run, I went back into the same field with an inch of snow and 20 degrees and ran a lap. It was as miserable as I remember, but, I can now do it without stopping to rest every few minutes. The health benefits are hard to ignore so, I will continue to run, but will always hike and enjoy walking in Wild, Wonderful West Virginia. I will be unstoppable on those long hikes and steep hills with wildflowers behind every tree.
