Not My Inspiration

During my last relationship, with someone who was very physically fit and active, I channeled much of my frustration with the relationship into also being physically fit.  Not that I wasn't fit before, I just began to identify myself more as 'this is what/who I am'.

A race M and I ran in AZ while visiting his family.

I was going to the gym several times a week, running, bicycling, and swimming.  I liked my body, and I loved the way I felt. I thought it was great that I could beat my personal records, and hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up in one day, and go cycling in all the cities I visited. I was building up mileage, I could run pretty far and at a decent pace.  After running for half a year it wasn't uncommon for me to finish in the top of the middle of the pack.  Which was good enough for me.  I even got a couple of hats and division medals...or one of each, but who's counting?

When my relationship ended I sort of went off the deep end in terms of lifestyle.  I started going out more, making new friends, spending time with other people, and just generally not working out.  Add to that going out to eat and drinking, and I gained 10 pounds and lost muscle tone. 

It has been about 5 months since I stopped working out regularly.  I still get out every once in a while, but I definitely do not have the same level of fitness I once had. Since the time I stopped running several people have come up to me and told me how far they are running now, and that they never ran or worked out before, that they are training for this or that race.  Half marathons, 10K's, 10 miles...  Frankly, I am jealous.  These are people who told me I inspired them to start running, and I'm not even running 5K distances anymore. 

I am so glad people used my running as their impetus to start running.  I had people who were my inspiration to start running, and I always felt like it was a gift.  It is such a good feeling when you accomplish a longer distance, or finish a race faster than you expected to.  Hopefully they can now be my inspiration to start again, and then I can thank them for giving such a great gift to me.

After a race with some of the people who inspired me to start running.  I am on the left.