It’s a novel idea, I know. No elliptical, no stairmaster, no aerobics class with mats and balls and energetic instructors – instead, just a run. I never thought I’d be the kind of person who could consistently make running happen. Sure, I’ve been trying to stay fit. And yes, running has a definite appeal when the weather is nice.
But I’ve always found it easier to drop my daughter off at daycare and then head over to the fitness center. Somehow it’s more structured and more motivating to start my workout there than from my front door. It’s easier, I guess, to put off a run.
But I’ve been consistently running recently, ever since I returned from a trip to Europe. The trip was definitely the impetus behind my new-found running fad. In London, after a couple of weeks of traveling a lot and eating even more, I found myself in desperate need of a workout. Unfortunately, my hotel’s “exercise room” consisted of nothing more than a couple dumbbells and an old rowing machine.
I considered trying the rowing machine, then I thought for a moment about scratching the workout altogether, and then I stopped and asked myself: why not go for a run? The weather was perfect and the city relatively unexplored. I really had no reason not to.
I donned a pair of shorts and stepped outside with my Prepaid Phone in hand, just in case. With no route in mind, and no plan for distance or speed, I took off and started jogging. My legs quickly grew sore, to be sure, but the experience was incredibly satisfying. I ran through Hyde Park, past Big Ben, and crossed the river before turning and coming back.
The run gave me a chance to see London more intimately and expansively than ever before, and it gave me a great workout in the process. I ran every day for the rest of the trip.
Everything was perfect; the view of London is one of a kind. The number on the weighing scale was ideal. All of sudden, there was a buzz on my YM! I doze into a nap while proofreading some articles. The Big Ben, Hyde Park and the European trip were just part of my “sweet” dream during my power nap.
Maybe it was because I am looking forward to another running event. It has been awhile since I joined one. I may be confined in the fitness centre of the condominium instead of the beautiful parks of London. But that would not change my love for running. Dreams do come true; who knows my European trip dream may happen in the near future.
