And I ran

I have never been an especially athletic person.   I tried volleyball.  Rather than passing and hitting the ball, Gabby Reece-style, I preferred the duck and cover method.  I was far too worried about the ball smacking me in the face to succeed as a blocker.  

I tried basketball.  Air balls were my specialty. 

I tried golf.  More often than not, I would swoosh that driver with all my might and miss the ball entirely.

Grand jetés in ballet were about as athletic as I ever got.  

So, recently, I was determined to try something new, to push out of my athletic comfort zone. 

In Forrest Gump, one day, Forrest just decides to start running---and he ran and ran and ran, "like the wind blows."  

I thought my foray into running would be just as breezy as Forrest's.  After puffy ankles and creaky knees and super-duper sport bras, I can attest that my first runs were neither easy nor pleasant. 

Now, a few weeks into a new running routine (thanks to new shoes and a great Gaga iPod mix), I am feeling a little more like Forrest.  I actually like running.  I want to high-five the air as I finish the final minutes of a run. I have gotten my first runner's high.

While I seriously doubt I'll ever become a marathoner or a triathlete, my new adventures pounding the pavement have challenged me in a fulfilling way.  For once, when I slip on my fancy New Balance running shoes (pink, duh) and pull on my favorite old t-shirt, I feel ever so slightly and ever so wonderfully athletic.

How do you push your own limits?  What gives you a sense of accomplishment and pride?

Images borrowed from here & here.