BACK OF THE PACK

I joined a running group because I had to take extreme measures to get myself back in shape. I have run marathons, climbed mountains, hiked for hours with no trouble in my youth. But I have stopped exercising for years. I lost pounds of muscle and now weigh more than I ever have and it is all fat.

Saturday the group got together. It was a record turnout. I told them all not to worry about me I would soon fall behind and they probably wouldn’t see me again until the next run. Off we went. I kept up for about ten seconds and then watched as they got further and further away. I could especially see this one girl in a bright pink shirt until it was lost in walkers, baby strollers, and bikes.

I didn’t mind. I was happy I was still running after five minutes. I ended up running a little over two miles with an occasional brief period of walking. I didn’t care I had achieved my goal. I would have loved to have run faster, but it will come.

At the end I was a little disappointed to be passed again by most of the group. They were obviously in their twenties maybe one thirty year old so I had to say at the end.

“Not too bad for a 50-years-old.”

It was funny as each one asked the person next to them. “Did she say ‘50’?”