Guilty Pleasure

What's my guilty pleasure?? Chocolate? Okay yes, guilty. Chocolate is definitely a weakness of mine - put any combination of chocolate and caramel or chocolate and peanut butter in front of me and there is no hope. However, I'm actually going to talk about a better, healthier, more exciting guilty pleasure of mine. One that makes me smile just thinking about it.

running.

Yep. You read correctly. I am absolutely in LOVE with running! Why? This question has actually been weighing on my mind all week. (Well, in all honesty, Tanner asked me in his most recent letter why I have taken such a liking to running, which has caused me to contemplate the true reason).

I started running when I moved down to BYU but I was never very serious about it - only going a couple times a week and not running hardly at all when it got colder. Then I picked in back up again that summer. I began thinking, "Maybe I'll train for a marathon or something". But I soon realized how far fetched this idea really was and let it go. However, I continued running. More as a form of relaxation than exercise.

I love nature and feel that we can be connected with it in a way, and running outside allowed me to make that connection. It gave me an opportunity to enjoy what was around me, to "slow down" from my busy life and breath. 

After Tanner left I had a lot more free time; time I spent running. What's a girl to do on a Friday night when her boy has left? Run. When I moved up to Weber I was most ecstatic about being able to find a new trail to run on (you can only run on a relatively flat, straight trail for so long and enjoy it (the legacy trail by my house)). When it got colder I realized I was right the down the street from the Weber State gym - free to students. Bomb! :) 

I used to have something against treadmills. Why not be outside enjoying nature, breathing fresh air? However, I have had to overcome that for it is much too cold to run outside. But believe it or not, I have absolutely fallen in love with treadmills. I can set the speed and completely zone out, letting the treadmill pull me along. I let the music from my ipod consume my thoughts as I stare at my feet in the mirror while the beat of the music and my step synchronize. Before I know it an hour has passed. 5.5 miles of track. 671 feet in elevation. 

I think running is my replacement for dancing. Why did I dance? I loved being one with the music. Letting all thoughts disappear as the music ran through my veins, the moves and notes following the same crescendo and decrescendo, my dress flowing gently across my skin as I moved, a thin saber or blunt rifle spinning with me and around me yet with a strong forceful appearance, and allowing the energy of the music to match the energy of the dance and portraying that to the audience. It doesn't get any better than that. I can't dance anymore. But when I run I get to let the music consume me again. My steps match the beat of the music once more. My breathe is synchronized with each move I make just like it did when I danced. 

Maybe all that is just my romanticized view of the world, but what's wrong with that? I LOVE RUNNING! Who knows, maybe I will end up running a half marathon this summer - but for now that is just an idea. I'll just enjoy the running for now...