BUZZ! BUZZ!
I groaned, turned over, and shut off my 7:15am cell phone alarm. I sat back in bed and heard the pitter patter of rainfall outside my window, which was my signal that I could go back to sleep.
Around 9:30 I was up again, and this time, the sunshine was starting to burst through the clouds. Well now I had no excuse, even though rolling over and back into sweet slumber was so tempting. I got out of bed and put on a sports tank top, stretch capris, socks, a cotton tee, and running sneakers. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and secured with two rubber bands, grabbed my keys, put in my headphones to Jack Johnson’s “Girl I Wanna Lay you Down” and walked out the door.
I’ve never been much for running for exercise. Gimme a ball to hit with a tennis racquet or to catch with a baseball glove, or a frisbee to chase… I’ll take those kinds of sports any day. I really enjoy playing sports, especially for the exercise. I’ve been playing and competing in Tennis for 12 years now, and also like to play other sports. But running? It’s boring and monotonous and uninspiring.
When I came here to Florence, I left my tennis racquets at home, not only because it would be added baggage, but I also can’t play because of my high blood pressure. After a couple of weeks, I looked for possible gyms, and though some offered student discounts, they were still more than I wanted to pay. So what was I left to do? Run.
I walked the two short blocks from my apartment to the Arno River, passing by a few Florentines dressed still in parkas. Sometimes I wonder what they must think of me in my short-sleeve tee while they’re still in winter gear. Once I neared the riverside path, I stopped to stretch, my body welcoming the movement and the crisp air. After my legs, back and arms felt warm, I switched playlists, and off I went, enjoying the light spring in each step as I ran.
In the beginning, the most difficult part was just getting out of bed and doing it. But it also didn’t get much easier once I hit the road. In my initial short 2 miles, I often had to stop to walk a bit to catch my breath and start again. I think the only motivation I had was being also to see beauty of the city and Tuscan countryside while the sun was shining, making the river sparkle during my whole route. And after a few weeks, I started to pick out which sidewalks I was less likely to twist my ankle, and where it was just better to run on the road because there were too many awe-struck tourists, and which street vendors to ignore as they mocked my exercise through mimicking. Gradually, breaks were fewer and the distance got longer, and my lips started to smile.
When I came back to my start point today after doing 3 miles, with only one quick walk, I checked my time: 25min. Not bad. When I got into my apartment, the girls were still sleeping so I took my sneakers off, switched back to my slow grooves playlist, and stretched out on the kitchen floor, nice and slow. My hamstrings felt strong, my abs were tight, and my whole outlook just felt so refreshed. It felt so good. Looking forward to doing it again tomorrow morning.
I just hope when I get back home, the Tuscan motivation with the Arno River translates into Hudson River runs on the West Side in New York… because I don’t want to lose this newfound appreciation for running.
