Memoirs of an Outstanding* Teen

Chapter 30: Run

I guess the plan was to doctor myself by trying to get healthier. Either way, one Friday afternoon, I put on some sneakers and my only pair of shorts and decided to go out for a walk.

What do you like to scroll through on Instagram? What's your eye-candy? My favorite pictures are of open landscapes and breathtaking scenery. And when I was walking that Friday, I found myself on the open road, almost no cars passing, and not a single soul as far as my eyes could see. Maybe it reminded me of freedom, no restrictions, no masters to serve. I started to run.

When people speak of the first time they tried running, they might speak of loving the wind on their skins or the thrill it gave them. I supposed I liked that too. But I felt like I was pushing myself again, and that's what I loved the most. I was working hard again, beyond my limits. I ran for 18 minutes straight that day. And as soon as I opened the gate at home and walked back in, I was planning on when my next run would be.

I ran again that Sunday, longer this time. I ran again the next weekend and the next. The plan became to either equal or beat the previous day's runtime. Within a couple of weeks, I was running 45 minutes, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

At some point, I Googled how many calories are burned running. And that became my new motivation to go out on the road every weekend. An extra 300 calories to eat.