circa 1978. The first memory I have of running – really running – was as a 5/6 year old kid. It was starting to get dark and I was running like mad to get home “on time.” Running up Lincoln St., fists and legs pumping. I was afraid of being late, but loved the running. One of the axioms of childhood is, Running is fun. My own children reflect this truth almost every day. All kids are runners.

circa 1989. The next real running memory I have is from high school gym class. Back then I fit a particular stereotype. You know: long hair, metal t-shirts, tight jeans and white, untied high-tops. I didn’t “do” sports or gym class. I didn’t dress out or participate much, and when I did things were a little crazy. But one year the teacher was having us run. I don’t recall the distance, but on the spur of the moment I decided to tie my shoes and run, rather than walk the track with my friends. Turns out I could run back then. Who knew? I beat out a lot of the gym jocks and athletes while running in my street clothes, complete with a jean jacket emblazoned with Iron Maiden and Megadeth decals.

circa 1993-1997. College. Actually I didn’t run once in college. I was too busy reading, eating a lot of take-out, and putting on 40 lbs.

circa 1998. Grad school. I was fat and thought I should “exercise.” I ran an indoor track and found it to be one of the worst physical experiences of my life. Really. Worse than vomiting, fist-fights and near-drowning.

circa 2000. My BMI whispers a secret in my ear, “Pssst. You are obese fat-boy.” So a friend (an Iron Man athlete and trainer) laid out a walk/run program for me. It lasted one morning. I came back from that running experience and collapsed on my bathroom floor sincerely wondering if my wife would walk in and find me dead.

May 29th 2007. This part is more complicated, but I’ll summarize and say there was a catalyst, something clicked, and I went fro a run one morning – around the block. Once. That day I began reconsidering the value of that childhood axiom and eventually embraced it. Running is fun. I’ve been running and loving it since.

As I was running on Frankfort I passed the window of a gym filled with people running in place in treadmills. I looked at them and they looked at me and I nodded as I ran by. I couldn’t help but think how strange it was. They are paying money to run on a treadmills that face out a window where they watch others run by for free. Outside. Where its really nice. I don’t get it.

I am very tired from the trip, and plan on taking a nap (I get about one nap every three months or so) later today (Sunday). No running until tomorrow.

Runner’s talk of an “easy run” and we mean that we aren’t pushing ourselves as we normally would. I get it. I use the word, but I’d like to stop. It give conveys the wrong idea. As if I can just phone in a run. You know, just go through the motions. Maybe some people can do that, but not this guy. There is nothing easy about running – not for me. All of my running takes real effort. Every run is hard for me. Yeah, some are harder than others; I push myself more during some than others, but easy they are not. Maybe this is because I am still a little overweight, or because I am still new to running. I don’t know. But I can’t think of a better word than “easy” (if you can please help me out!). So forgive me for using a word I don’t really believe in. Today’s easy run was great. A slower pace that felt good. But it was still hard.

Dear Miles,
I’m new to the sport. Why do so many runners dislike being called joggers?
—David B., Boone, North Carolina

Jogging implies that you lack passion and commitment, that you’re out there on the road in $130 running shoes simply for show, that you could take the sport or leave it (and often do leave it). Ask any runner, and he or she will tell you that we run with passion, we run to push our limits and to live healthier lives, we run races not because we think we’ll win but to be members of a larger community. Most important, whether we clock six-minute or 12-minute miles, we don’t jog—we run.

Sunday 3.1 miles. It was a beautiful day, and it worked out that I had time for a run (and an extra shower – I have to figure those in too). So I headed out and didn’t try to push myself too hard and came in with a nice 28:23. That’s solid for me, and is beginning to feel like my comfortable pace for a 5k. I want to push on that this week.

Monday was also great and the kids wanted to go for a run. Katherine (6) can run a mile, but Elias is only 4 and I didn’t want to push him, so we went out for a 1/2 mile fun run. The kids loved it.

Tuesday. 5.1 miles in… awww come on! 56:01! This was a terrible run. I started off great, but was tiring at the half-way point and had to stop shortly after and walk a bit. For like 5 minutes! I started back up but had to take two more walk breaks. This was very frustrating/disappointing. I just ran 6.2 miles without a break in  1:03.39. I don’t think it was the heat (first 80° day of the year) that slowed me down. Maybe it was because I skipped breakfast. Not enough water? I’m just a wuss? Whatever.

But here’s the thing – I still feel great after. I was frustrated during my run, but now that I’ve stretched and cooled off – I feel fantastic (and hungry). So, that’s good. I’ll rest tomorrow and run a 5k on Thursday. Even with a less than ideal run, I still love it.