Latest Obsession.... That Makes Me Feel Alive

I decided to take the big plunge and join Ginny Marie and Gretchen on a blog prompt, The Spin Cycle.  Just trying this out is a big step for me, these writers are the pros.  This week's prompt is "What in your life kills you? What makes you feel alive?"

My days are filled with driving kids to and from school, play dates, meetings and the grocery store. By noon my energy level is shot and my temper is ready to explode. Good thing naptime is close at hand. When I first became a mom, naptime was jail time. I could not leave the house because my oldest was sleeping. That meant no running errands or visiting with friends since I was locked in the house until 4:30 p.m. Now naptime gives me a break from the kids and the alone time to work out in the basement.

At 2:30 p.m. the treadmill and I have a date. The treadmill is old and nothing fancy, but looks like a mirage of goodness in the afternoon. Each time we duke it out to see who will last the longest. There has only been a few times when the machine has called Uncle - when a plastic ball was close to the motor and a storm knocked out power. Usually the machine wins the endurance test but I know a good run gives me a sense of being alive.

Running on a treadmill looks like the human version of the hamster wheel. Running without going anywhere sounds like a lost cause. What sane person would do such a thing? Are you that desperate to leave the house that you pretend to move around? This "go nowhere" machine does take me someplace; a place of peace. There are days when nothing seems to be going my way. Hop on the treadmill and I am guaranteed a good fight and sweat. Two things are accomplished, adding to the laundry pile and getting my heart rate up. Running also is a great way to work though the day’s problems. Several times my most perplexing answers have come to me during a run.

Some days my runs are only 30 minutes while other days I could run for more than an hour. The only thing that turns off the machine are the nagging pains of getting old. Shin splints have been my running enemy for years. My beloved treadmill tries to help out with a cushioned belt but some days it is not enough. We have a deal, I maintain the machine and in return it works hard to move the belt at the speed I want. In the beginning of our relationship the belt had a mind of its own. After proper maintenance it is able to take direction well.

The amount of time and speed of a run changes but one thing is consistent, the feeling of being alive after a run. The endorphins that surge through my body after a good run give the feeling of taking on the world or least dealing with a cranky toddler. There are days when nothing gets done on my to do list, but running is a mandatory because is shakes awake my body and settles my mind.

What makes you feel alive?

Sharon, The Mayor