Adventures in running: the thought process

So I decided to force myself to like running. 

You might read that and think it doesn't sound so crazy, but this is coming from The Girl Who Was Last Picked on Every Sports Team Ever. I wasn't even sure I knew HOW to run. The running shoes I own were bought from Amazon for $56 in 2010, and chosen mainly because I like their pretty aqua color. The only exercise clothes I own are for yoga.

Why did I decide to like running? Two reasons. The first, a minor one, being that Wonderful Boyfriend Of Mine keeps telling me that yoga alone will not make me healthy and that I need C-A-R-D-I-O. As a rule, I usually fight against every bit of advice he gives me until it becomes glaringly obvious how right he is. In this case, glaringly obvious comes in the form of my favourite pants being too tight. Sigh. Cardio, be my friend!

I think everyone can agree that the second reason is the best reason to like running: IT'S FREE. In the same way that I'm always trying to force myself to like red wine (it doesn't need a mixer! it doesn't need to be chilled! it's the lowest maintenance alcoholic beverage there is!), the need-nothing aspect of running is the biggest appeal. No gym membership/special equipment/special time of day/great skill/learning required. All you need is shoes. And you can do it without them if you just get your ass to the beach.

So Wonderful Boyfriend Of Mine is away for a month, and this seemed a fitting amount of time to try this out. 

The goal: to run, or edge towards running, every day that he is gone. 

The end date: August 14. 

The progress so far: mediocre. 

He's been gone 12 days. I have skipped 4 days (5 if you count the day that I planned to skip and magically found myself playing a game in a park involving sprinting. It made my whole body ache more than any of the "planned" running days, and so I count it as a win day). I'm hoping that putting this goal online will serve as a check and balance in making sure I do it....