it's an old friend

running is like an old friend to me.

i haven't run for about 6 months. you know the birth of twin boys, moving into a new house, the holidays; i have a list of excuses many, many pages long. the truth is i just haven't made the time or effort to run, much less exercise in the past 6 months. and so i ventured out onto the pavement and over grass medians and across sidewalks yesterday to run again for the first time.

running for me is like riding bike. i know the skills and mechanics of the sport really well, so i haven't forgotten how to do it, but there is always a learning curve upon a new beginning with the sport. my legs ached, my lungs burned, and my energy was quick to deplete. i started out at a good clip only to find myself mentally and physically fatiguing very quickly.

but after the run i felt like i had rekindled something important. it was reminiscent of picking up the phone and actually calling that old friend that you have been meaning to talk to and catch up with, or letting go of a misunderstanding between an old friend that has kept you from calling. it smacked of familiarity, and that strange void of knowing that there is more to learn and catch up on.

running is like an old friend to me that is slowly becoming a familiar friend again.