Run Brad Run

I blame Devo.

I suppose it really started about two years ago. Like just about everybody, my doctor told me I needed to exercise more. So I started walking and jogging, halfheartedly and very occasionally.

At my physical last year, my doctor wanted to put me on medication to control my high cholesterol. I was not too excited about the prospect of going onto maintenance drugs at the ripe old age of 36, so I asked him if there was any other way to control it. Again, regular exercise was offered as a solution.

Faced with the choice of exercise vs. daily drugs, I started taking jogging a little more seriously. I was going out two or three mornings a week, pushing through a couple miles or so and wondering what on earth was wrong with people who claimed they actually enjoyed doing this stuff. Good Lord, it’s boring!

My sister Anne encouraged me to train for a couple races with her, but I dismissed her with a wave of my hand. “Are you crazy? I’m not interested in racing,” said I.

That’s where I was in late March, when a college friend emailed me to tell me about the Run Hit Wonder. “Can you run a 5k? Devo is playing at the finish line of this event!” I thought it sounded like fun and signed up. The promise of a Devo set was the only thing I was really interested in.

It turns out that the Run Hit Wonder (see old entry here) led me from the streets of L.A. to the road to Damascus. Somehow, running that race changed my perspective. I got a glimpse of what I was capable of, and I wanted to explore that.

Now I look forward to my runs. I’m covering more ground and I’m pushing myself farther. I have experienced something I had always thought to be a myth - Runner’s High. It’s all very amusing to me.

Why am I telling you this? Because I’m kind of excited about it. I honestly never thought I would find the place where I enjoyed exercising. Generally, “rah rah” cheerleading drives me crazy, but I will make an exception for myself and say this – if I can do it, you can get there too.

Go!