Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.

Remember how I said I was going to try and write more about the day to day things?
Feel free to tune out now.

A common theme in my journals is working out. I love being active. Rock climbing, hiking, swimming, dancing, as long as it doesn't involved a ball I probably love it. But exercise in it self? Not such a big fan. So I've been trying out different exercise routines over the last few years, searching for a good fit. I've tried just going to the gym. I've tried taking classes at the gym. I've tried going to the gym with a friend. I do p90x off and on. Last summer I worked out with a girlfriend who was training for a half ironman. Currently I'm a member of Az combat sports which I love and have written about.

I'm not sure if my exercise style jumps around so much because it's just my nature to bounce around from thing to thing, or if it's because I still haven't found something that fits yet. Something I'm interested in doing day in and day out. Because let's face it. Rock Climbing is fun. Pull ups are not.

So despite a pretty wide range of workouts there is something I've always hated and never been good at. Running. Oh dreaded running.

I've never actually run a mile straight. I mean, sure, on the elliptical machine. I can run a few miles on that, no problem. Especially if there's something good on tv. But I've never a full mile without stopping on the pavement. I would usually run a half mile, tie a shoe, take a drink, then run another half mile. Or quarter mile. I'm also unbearably slow.

But last night I ran my first mile on the ground, without stopping. It was only a mile and I'm not even going to tell you what my time was. But I did it, and I'm awful damn proud of it.

Proud enough to write a whole blog about it.

But wait, there's more!

This morning, Travis, Mom, Bodhi and I hiked Camelback. Which was simultaneously loads of fun and frustrating. The loads of fun came from the fact that its a great hike. It's more bouldering then a leisurely stroll, which is how I prefer my hiking. And since Bodhi is part Australian Shepard part Mountain Goat, he did just fine. The frustrating part came from the amount of people! I prefer my hiking to be more solitary, less push and shove. Camelback is clearly a popular hike. But it was fun. Bodhi scampered up the rocks and everyone was charmed by him. Travis had a good time telling people that Bodhi had rabies and Mom had a good time smacking him upside the head.

Also, not to be disloyal to The Boy, but one of the perks of this hike is all the fitness nuts who RUN up and down the mountain. They generally tend to be shirtless and beautiful. Yum.

A dislike? The funny tan lines I currently sport thanks to wearing a shirt instead of a tank top.
Oh, and the fact that my trusting hiking boots of the last two years have finally perished.

Hiking today also renewed my desire to hike the Appalachian trail. I really, really want to do a thru-hike. It generally takes six months, so it will be a few years before I can take off the time from work. But it's on my bucket list. Hell, it's on my "before I'm thirty" list. I can't wait to spend six months walking, six months with just me and a pup and whole lot of nature.

"How can you explain that you need to know that the trees are still there, and the hills and the sky? Anyone knows they are. How can you say it is time your pulse responded to another rhythm, the rhythm of the day and the season instead of the hour and the minute? No, you cannot explain. So you walk." ~Author unknown

Read A Walk In the Woods by Bill Bryson. Then start packing and come with me.