On my run yesterday I approached a group of women sitting in chairs with a dog off the side of the trail. I was paying attention to see what the dog was doing and the women didn’t really register until I could tell one of them was speaking to me.

She said “I wish I could run!”

And my first thought is “why don’t you?” (thinking this encouragingly, not in a bitchy way)

But I didn’t say that. Then I looked at her and realized her chair was a wheelchair.

Then I’m thinking “is she being funny?” (Mind you, all this happens in a few seconds because I kept running.)

So I say “I could push you!” And they all laugh.

Phew.

I really wasn’t sure how that was gonna turn out. I couldn’t tell if she was joking or upset! I’m glad it was the former.

Then I got attacked by a red-winged blackbird as I have every time I pass this portion of the trail for the last week. Fun fun.


Since I’m here, I’ll mention a few other workout related things.

  • I mentioned it last week – that I’m proud of my body for being able to run a marathon. But the interaction yesterday reminded me to think about how grateful I am that I can run at all. That’s kind of been my attitude since I came back to running after a four month break last year, and why I’m not upset my paces are slower than they used to be. I’m just grateful I can do this.
  • Going to WWM (my gym) has turned me into an afternoon runner, and I’m a morning runner at heart and it sucks to be missing out on the cool spring mornings to be running in the hot afternoons. But I know I am more likely to run after work than I am to take an afternoon class, so that’s the schedule that works for me.
  • The instructors and students at WWM have been welcoming since my first class last August but I’ve felt more and more lately like I’m really part of the community. People greet me by name, ask me questions about things going on in my personal life, send me messages, etc. It feels good to belong.
  • Random, but last week Marybel (our main trainer) was telling us to push off our toes when coming out of a reverse lunge and I realized I’ve been trying to power them from my quads. What the heck, Kim!!! It’s so much easier when you push off your toes! When she gives cues like that I really try to remember them and do them so I’m actually working the part of my body she intends for us to.