because it's there

i dislike running.

i may have mentioned this before, i realize, but it bears repeating.

i do not like running one bit.

but i like being able to run.

to that end, i ventured outdoors at lunch today, and ran two miles.

i realize that a two-mile lunchtime run is not terribly impressive. but to me, it was very exciting---because it was the first time i've run outside in 7 months.

i ripped up my knee on june 24 last year, and the rehab has progressed from the stationary bike to the elliptical to the treadmill.

my first stint running on the treadmill, a couple months ago, lasted 5 minutes. it was not pleasant. by that i mean, it hurt. the surgeon warned me this would be the case, and like everything else related to my recovery, he was right.

still...i wanted to be able to run. so i did. six minutes the next time, then 8, then 12, 15 and 16 minutes at a time.

the thing is, if running generally is tedious, it is moreso on the treadmill. having espn on the tv monitor in front of me reduces the tedium only slightly. by comparison, running outdoors on a springlike day is almost enjoyable.

almost.

today, two miles, twenty minutes. painfully slow, but other than that, not particularly painful at all. i passed several people out walking, a mother pushing a stroller, a high school gym class, and a bunch of ducks.

my return to the parking lot at the Y coincided with the current limit of my endurance. i was totally gassed, but at the same time...

it felt good to run. because i can.