Derek,
First things first, congratulations on actually going for a jog Saturday after … well, since we can’t remember when.*
Being that we carried you literally and figuratively through more than a decade of intensive soccer and three decades of post-crawling mobility, it was nice to get some exercise for once. Are we being sarcastic? Perhaps, but we also write you this note to encourage you.
You know all too well that it’s been a while since you’ve been what we’d consider in shape. But, by going for that jog — in the cold rain, just up the street and back, you’ve made the first move toward getting fit. And it’s a long path to travel, one that can only be done through steady, constant effort.
As you travel this road, focus on the daily decision to run, not worrying about the future or resting upon the past. As life has taught you, there’s progress to be made in taking it one day at a time. From increasing foreign language fluency to decreasing thigh circumference, it works. You know that.
When you complained to your wife a few weeks ago about not feeling in shape, she gave you her advice. We’re glad to see you’re taking it. Maybe that’s why she was clapping when you came in from your jog.
Taking things one day at a time is also in line with your 2010 goal of being reliable. What you gain physically and mentally through running can only develop you as a reliable individual.
The slight numbness in the toes; the rubbery, taffy feeling in your quads; the ache in your shins the next day — that’s all part of it. Enjoy it. Embrace it. It’s the birthcry of your progress.
So, keep it up.
Love,
Your Legs
* Races with Gabriel from the mailbox to the backdoor of your home notwithstanding