Running

I hate to exercise. Really, I do. I'd rather sit on my bum and read a good book. However, I force myself to exercise in the name of Health. Back in college (quite a few years ago now) I had to run regularly for a Life Fitness class we were required to take, and thus began the on again, off again relationship I've had with exercise. I ran throughout college, avoiding the freshmen 15. After college, I didn't run as much but would go for a jog here and there. As time went on, I didn't do much of any kind of exercise and if I did, the exercise was sporadic. I hit my later 20s and realized fitting into those jeans wasn't so easy. The metabolism was starting to change. Hate that switch we women go through in life! So I picked up the running thing again and threw in some Pilates. I started seeing results and stuck with it through my wedding at age 29. But soon after wedded bliss wore off, I got lazy again. About 3 years ago, we joined the gym and with my pal Aimee by my side, I regularly visited the gym, mixing in cardio and weight training. I felt good and although there were times I truly slacked off the work out regimen, I made the effort. Along the line, my other friend Jodi asked me if I wanted to start running with her, to train for a 5k. Sure, why not?! So we began training and I got myself up to running a 5k (that would be 3.1 miles if you weren't so sure of the conversion). But I never did run an actual race. But thanks to Jodi, I was at least running and moving, burning those calories. This fall, my old friend (meaning we have been friends forever, not that she's old) Malayna asked me to run a 10k (again that's 6.2 miles). Not realizing what I was doing, I agreed. So I began training and in November ran the bridge from Camden, NJ to Philly and back again. And I lived to tell about it. Without a goal though, I didn't do much until February when another friend (what is with my friends and the running!?) Erin asked if I wanted to run the Philadelphia Broad Street 10 Miler. Again, I readily agreed to the crazyness and began training. This took some serious effort. I had never run that far EVER! Well, I'm pleased to report that this past Sunday, Erin and I (and that old friend, Malayna, even though this was nothing for her since she's already mastered the half marathon at 13 miles. She rocks!) ran 10 miles! It was 90 degrees and humid. Thankfully the race organizers had arranged to have the fire hydrants turned on as sprinklers. What a relief from the heat! But we did it. We finished well! Now here's the dilemma. I've finished the race. I have no new goal. Will I continue to run?