Being 42 and feeling 29 again
Yes, it is true. Today I am a big, whopping, nearing the black balloon party 42. My hair is all there but I have the salt & pepper markings that come with age, stress and lethargy. Despite all this, I do not feel 42. I feel.. .young!
Why this sudden change? It was not but a few months ago that I felt tired, worn out and ready to be put to pasture. Something happened, something good.
My wonderful wife grasps on to a goal and seemingly never lets go (this is a good thing). Hence I tend to go along for these rides with her whether I want to or not (probably also a good thing). Her latest goal was to run a full marathon this year; a decision she made in the dead of winter. “Pashaww!” I decried, never would I be so energized enough to start running, especially when it was cold outside like it was this year.
But something inside my head, that little voice that is hardly perceptible unless you block out all the other white noise of life said: “Paul, YOU NEED TO DO THIS”. And so, I acquiesced to my wife’s desires, bought some running shoes and some warm weather gear and started this crazy endeavor with her. I will not say that right off the bat I was a dedicated runner and that I was sold on this marathon idea. It was flippin’ painful at first and I lacked a runners’ desire (and stamina). But facing the cold was not as bad as I thought and I kept up with my wife. I was still not mentally prepared for running any further than a few miles though.
Then I stopped, I stopped it all.
I cannot remember why we stopped running but the Spring came and the marathon, let a lone running, was the furthest thing from my mind. Then my wife brought up the marathon again (remember, she never lets go) and asked if I was going to run with her. My first reaction was to ‘Pashaww!’ the whole thing again, but that voice came back and whispered in those deep, deep recesses of my gray matter. Before I could control my actions, I had paid for two entrances to the Twin Cities Marathon. Maybe THAT is how I got committed to this, if I buy it I darn well better use it!
So, suddenly I had a new lease on running. We started following a schedule that my wife got from a friend that helps train us up to Marathon day. The first few runs were hard but after awhile it got easier and I felt better after every run.
Now we still have a long way to go. The Marathon is not until October and my own furthest run has been 13 miles. I have a 5k that I am running in August with a friend and there is still training to do; the ultimate goal has not yet been reached. But we will make it and we will both feel better doing it along the way.
Yes, I am 42…but I feel like 29, thanks to my wife who has encouraged me, feeds me healthier food than I am used to, and simply loves me for who I am
