I've taken up running. I'm still a beginner: running a lap, walking a 1/2 lap, running a lap, etc. I hesitantly call myself a runner. I'm running every other day, which is good for my knee. My knee almost shut this whole running thing down at the beginning. My left knee hurt when I ran and my running instructor (I started with a Couch to 5k class at the Y) insisted I go see an Orthopedist. Turns out I have arthritis in my left knee. The very nice Doctor insisted I still run. For the past 7 weeks I've been going to physical therapy twice a week and it has really helped... I have no pain in either knee when I run now.
I've always pictured myself a runner, which is ridiculous considering I have been overweight and mostly sedentary my whole life. Something about the fast forward motion is enticing to me. I started getting 'Runner's World' magazine 2 years ago. I read memoirs by people who have learned to run. I follow blogs about people who have started to run and have lost a great deal of weight. At this point, I think losing weight would really help my running.
Running has given me back music. Don't get me wrong, we have music on all the time in our house: Thom is a great lover of music. I think of it as Thom's music. I enjoy it, but it doesn't speak to me the way it speaks to him. When I work in the studio I listen to podcasts or books 99% of the time. The other 1% is Pandora. When I run, I run to a playlist of music I've created and damn if it hasn't been amazing to have my music back in my head. It motivates me, it literally moves me along in my run. I've been listening to what I already have as well as downloading songs from itunes. It's been a lot of fun.
The picture of me above is from right after a run... the most satisfying feeling of all. I am sweaty, tired, happy, zoned-out and ready for the day. Running gives me that.