Just had to Report

 I jogged 2.25 miles on the treadmill the other day. I have not run that far since I was 12 - when I used to tag behind my dad as he ran around the neighborhood streets.

Thanks to Jenny and Jaclyn for the key to this achievement - don't go so fast! My only experience with running has been as a wheezing, gasping, I-think-I'm-gonna-die activity, and the last few times I tried jogging I quit after half a mile. It turns out that if I go slow (and I mean, really slow - it took me 14 minutes to run a mile, which is only barely faster than walking...) then it works. I can breathe!

Figure: See? Just like this - happy happy joy joy...

So I am actually quite impressed with myself. I think I may try it again. I am prone to being competitive, even (especially?) with myself. Generally I try to do just a little bit better each time - so next time, maybe I'll shoot for 2.5 miles.

My mother likes to tell a story of me, back when I was 12, which goes something like this: Each time I would go jogging, I would make sure that I went just A LITTLE BIT FARTHER than the last time. There was an old coke bottle lying on the side of the road, and I used to use that as my marker. So one day I excitedly reported, "I went two miles to the coke bottle and then TEN FEET!" Hey, whatever works, you know? :)

And now my mind is already racing (ha!) ahead - if I can do 2.25 miles, it's not that much farther to 3.2 miles! That's a 5k! There's a 5k coming up here in Boston, and the sign up date is March 1st. Maybe if I stay on top of things and keep adding TEN FEET each time, I'll register...