The relay

Last June, Wife ran the Wasatch Back as part of a relay team. The Wasatch Back is a 36-leg, 180-mile or so race, and after it was over, her friend who organized the team asked if I wanted to do it in 2009. As a way to get back into running, knowing that commitment was out there, I said yes.

Well, almost a year later, the Wasatch Back is coming up fast -- 10 days away. And I'm happy to report, I'm mostly ready for it. And I'm really happy to report, I feel like a runner again.

I'm not a good runner by any means, and nowhere near my prime when I was a below-average high school cross country runner. Plus, I've been doing a run-walk method in which I run 4 minutes, then walk a minute -- a program that's kept me from getting too discouraged (I was always a better interval runner than endurance). But, I'm happy I'm back in some modicum of running shape, that I can go for 6-7 miles for the first time in a couple decades, and that I'm looking forward to getting out for that run as much as I can.

It hasn't been easy -- for the first 10-15 minutes of every run, it seems my body starts asking what the hell am I putting it through (but I get past that point and hit a welcomed zone). Furthermore, my knees aren't that of a 15-year-old anymore; I've been sorer than I thought I'd be. Nevertheless, I'm happy I committed to doing the relay. Wish me luck.

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