Rory Cullen, Kaizen Software Developer

First, a bit of housekeeping.  I’ve enjoyed my time on Wordpress.com, but over the weekend I made the move to a self-hosted blog using the Wordpress.org software.  After (and including) today, all new posts can be found on my primary site: http://www.rorycullen.com/blog/

If you follow me with Google Reader, etc., please update your subscription link.

And now, on to the main event:

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I am not exhausted.  My calves are a little sore, and I need a shower, but I’m not exhausted at all.  This is amazing to me.

A little background for starters:  Since leaving my last corporate role, and losing the subsidized gym that was included, I have been making do with my basement gym that consists of a NordicTrack and a treadmill.  Neither of these inspires me to be all that I can be, and my workouts have been noticeably flat lately, as opposed to my stomach.

About a month ago, on a beautiful spring morning, my girlfriend suggested I might like to run outside.  I was hesitant, but figured what the heck?  I might as well be outside, and it always feels like a better workout out there, not to mention there is nothing on TV on Sunday morning anyway.  I ran our local 3.1 mile loop, and felt pretty good.  I don’t think I even timed it, but guesstimated about 30 minutes or so.

A few days later, I did the loop again, and added a jog up a side street, maybe stretching the run to 3.3 miles.  Again, felt good.  A few days later, I did 4.25 miles, adding a new loop.  That added some serious hills.  This time, I was beat up by the hills, but was self-impressed once I measured it after the fact.  More days out, and I eventually went out and did 6.25 miles.  A few days later, I broke the eight mile barrier.  And since then, I have run two 10 mile days.  Twice this past week I have broken the 8:00 minute mile mark on runs of over eight miles.  Some time over the past month this ceased to be about the workout, and became about the act of running itself.  This whole thing is amusing to me, because I’m not a runner at all.

I come from a family of four siblings.  I am the only one who has not run the Boston Marathon.  One ran it last year at 43 years old.  Two of them have run 10 miles in under 6:00 minute miles.  Even if you don’t run, you might recognize those as impressive stats.  Like many people, I am inspired of the Marathon footage every April, and amazed that anyone can run that far, and even foolishly think I could do it.  But then I remember high school.  I was a member of the Cross Country Ski team.  However, I went to school near the coast of Massachusetts, so we had very little snow.  I definitely remember at least one season when we only put our skis on once, for the championship race at the end of the season.  Anyway, those with snow: ski.  Those without: run.  This was torture for me.  I seem to recall walking in the back with a fellow teammate, complaining of shin splints, generally trying to avoid running with all my might.  Truly believing I was not made for running.

Before this spring, I had never run farther than four miles.  The few times I had run that far, it was for races in support of charities, and I was sore for days.  I have also had some knee issues and have had some overuse injuries in the past.  But over the past month, I have realized that I really enjoy running.  I like knowing I’ll be outside and away from my computer.  I spend seven days a week at my laptop, but I can’t check email out there.  I can’t write blog posts.  I can’t do anything but think and run.  Some days I use the time to write a post in my mind like today.  Others I just purely focus on the run itself.  Most people use an MP3 player, but I am still in the honeymoon phase, enjoying the purity of the act itself.  My breathing, birds, Sunday morning softball games, yard sales.  I’m also on some busy roads of course, so self-preservation comes to mind as well.

So what have I learned this month?

• I shouldn’t run more than 6 miles without a water break.
• Check your route before you run.  If the road is busy, thin, and has no sidewalks, try somewhere else!
• Roads that appear flat from the driver’s seat of your car are not, in fact, flat.
• People are friendlier when you are running.
• Recycling is great, but running by a local paper recycling plant is not (it stinks!)
• Running is more fun if you have a lot of choices.  I run a big loop that offers countless options for expanding my run.  I don’t know how far I am going to run until I’ve hit my last leg.
• Fill up a water bottle before you leave so it’s ready when you get back. (I know this, I just don’t do it)
• You can really surprise yourself when you least expect it.
• I have a lot more to learn.

I will never run as fast as my brothers and I don’t know if I will ever run the Boston Marathon.  Maybe it’s a cliché, but it truly is about the journey, not the destination.  Was I able to run all these years, and just didn’t know?  It goes to show; it is never to late to try something new.  Whether it is a career change at 50, or a new sport at 70, you may have no idea what you can do until you try.

Ok, I may not be exhausted, but my knee might hurt tomorrow…