i am not a runner

...let's just start there.  The only time I ever ran in my life was for boot camp and qualifying year after year for the 2 mile fitness run.  It seemed like forever, running from one end of Camp Ripley to another.  Oh, sure, I may have run in elementary school for gym class or fitness tests, but I never had any grandiose ideas of joining the track team.  Let's face it, sometimes you're either a runner, or you're not.

This morning, however, I attempted to trick my mind into following my body.  As I dozed off to sleep last night, I remembered that I was going to attempt something new on August 1.  After all, my other friends who do not consider themselves runners...  somehow changed their thinking.  I am determined to do the same {as long as my knees hold out} and started today!  I reset my clock to go off 45 minutes earlier.

{insert calming ocean sounds of the alarm clock here}

And so I will share with you my first official morning of running:

Stretch.  Yawn.  Still in bed.  What day is it?  Oh, right.  August 1.  The sun wasn't even up at 5 am, cripes, how was I supposed to find the motivation to walk outside the front door and then proceed to jog (let's call it what it is - it's not running - yet).

Find clothes suitable for being outdoors.  Reflective?  Cool?  Warm?  Dress appropriately, let dog out and back in.  No, Chloe, you're not going for a walk this early - sorry.  This one's for me!

And off I go...  mini-goals in mind, do not wimp out, Julie, and walk the route.  Run jog to the corner.  Ok, that wasn't hard.  Hey, look at the bunny on the corner? Someone else is up this early!  Earbud in one ear (for safety, ya know), listening to Cities97.  I can do this.  Planning in my mind to do the "dog walk" and see if I can beat the 17 minute mile pace.  No one else is out this early...  oh wait...  up ahead, I see someone walking along the side of the road.  It's now about 5:30 am.  She's walking at a brisk pace.  Wow, it's the lady I see walking the road by herself on a regular basis.  She's at least in her late 70's, early 80's.  No lie.  She comes from somewhere north of 42nd and goes down to Medicine Lake Road and back.  She has a reflective vest on (thankful for her safety and smart head).  She knows the benefits of good health and exercise.  See, Julie...  she can do this, you can too!  Stop making excuses.

Jog again.  This time, to the end of the path, before the bridge.

Walk the bridge.  See two more people walking the path with dogs.  Still no sunrise.

Jog to the next milestone.  Walk a bit more.  Out of breath am I.  Phew!  This is work.

Feeling good inside by the time I round the corner back to my house.  My MapMyRun app chimes through my earbud with my 1 mile time... 12:54.  I did it.  5 minutes shorter than the dog walk.  Only a driveway away from mine.  Ok, this isn't so bad.  I discovered that I lost my headband somewhere along the run.  Making mental note to find something a bit stickier for the hair so I can do this again.  What?!  I am doing this again?  Oh, right.  If my non-running friends can do this...  and see results...  so can I.  Day 1, done.  Next goal, get up again tomorrow and do it all over.

54 days until my 45th birthday...  I will make this a habit that sticks!