And one day, I decided to run

Earlier this year, in my freshly painted bathroom (thanks to my mom !),
wearing my oldest son's outgrown t-shirt, I felt getting ready to go
back to a jogging routine 

It can be interpreted metaphorically. But there is also a literal sense. Not sure what motivated me in my mid-twenties to start jogging, something I have had an aversion to most of my essentially non-athletic life. Maybe I was tired of sitting in front of textbooks and my body felt it needed a release. I also probably wanted to work on my fitness as I was becoming more aware that lifestyle choices had an impact on one's longevity and quality of life. So while studying, I started incorporating a jogging routine. I wouldn't say I took on the runner identity right away (I guess part of me wanted to avoid the imposteur syndrome), especially since most of my life I had sucked at PE and felt I had some catching up to do.

Then I eventually incorporated hiking and backpacking because my boyfriend was really into that. Occasionally we would jog together. Depending on how disrupted my routine was (by exams, by a move, by travel, by the long-distance relationship), I would squeeze in a 20-min jogging. When I had my first child, I bought a jogging stroller. I did jog some. Then there was more disruption. A move (to Minnesota), pregnancy losses. Eventually pregnant with my oldest son's brother, I decided to run for my first 5k. I did really well, less than 30 min. Then there was a big hiatus after the birth of my baby, and an even bigger one when another cutie of a brother (our last child) joined our family. I needed a double-stroller for my crew and this time it was not a jogging one. Plus, the temperature in the summer was incompatible with my family's needs, my own schedule and rhythms. I went back to it briefly during the pandemic, when I had this most wonderful jogging moment with my oldest son, at the time 13 or 14. I remember him mentioning how fond he was of Canada, and how we both dreamed about going back there to settle one day.

There has been a really dark cloud on this beautiful dream. So dense that I could barely put one foot in front of the other the years after that, let alone jog. But as my circle expanded, my connections with some people deepened, I was inspired by folks who ran regularly, so I did another 5k 3 years ago with my boyfriend, and then a 10k for two consecutive years after that.

The sense of freedom from jogging, especially among other people, is incredible. It is also a great opportunity to expand awareness. And staying fit. About 6 months ago, Caro, a friend of mine since high school who is like a sister to me, convinced me to join ''Une Fille qui Court'', a program under the guidance of a kinesiologist to train for a trail-running trip in the Pyrenees ! 

I was immediately interested. I decided to join for the whole experience: before (training, self-discipline, self-care), during (bonding with other women, camaraderie reminiscent of summer camp in my adolescence, spiritual dimension while connecting with nature), and after (satisfaction of pushing my limits, processing insights and learning, and being filled with gratitude). And I signed up and decided to take in that challenge as a symbolic celebration of this new chapter in my life. A gift from myself to myself. Putting on the oxygen mask on myself first, for once. A travel experience like I have never envisioned before.

Last month, at a conference with my friend Annie, also a runner,
we motivated each other and ran around Lac Leamy
on two consecutive mornings

So, La Maison des Enchantements is now witness to my resolution of optimizing my physical stamina this summer. It is quite grounding to work-out, reconnect with yoga, and yes, jog in the morning, before it gets too hot. Within a few weeks, I have increased the duration of my running path, and the small hills in my neighborhood provide some good practice too. Being rather intuitive than tyrannical with my exercise regimen, I found a way to compromise between the detailed prescribed exercises and what I am motivated to do and can realistically perform. 

I will have no problem adjusting my diet to include more carbs (I love pasta anyway) while maintaining plant-based meals and green choices to keep my vibrational frequency high. I will share my menu in another blog.

After a careful self-observation of my capacities and the areas that need improvement, my biorhythms and the other responsibilities I have for other people in my life, I think I can exercise for a total of about 2 hours a day, spread out between morning and evening to avoid heat, and if I breakdown my physical activities as follows:

-1 h of jogging (or 30 min of walk and 20-30 min of jogging) and 5-min stretching

-30 min of muscular training and pull-ups (I started the latter months ago, I had a bar installed in a door frame)

-15 min of laps in my swimming pool

-15 min of yoga

Ok... 2 hours is basically doubling my actual time of exercise, so it seems like a strong feat... I am realistic that this goal won't be met each day (for the last couple of days already, I came home too exhausted from other duties so I skipped yoga for instance). But I refuse to beat myself up for it. I decided to sign up also for enjoyment. As long as I try to do something daily and remain intentional throughout all my forms of training, while letting my body rest when it is sending me signals that it is out of fuel, I trust that my muscles and nervous system will integrate all of those regular exposures into my resilience to make me able to take on this journey.

And a few weeks ago, as I intensified my training (after recovering from an annoying upper respiratory tract infection, right after the disappearance of a shoulder pain that lasted 4 months), I added a reading that is also quite ambitious: A Course in Miracles. As I train my body, I am also training my mind, absorbing and meditating on one chapter per day. And ''course'' in French means ''run''. Apparently, I am ''une fille qui court'' and who reads ''Le Cours en Miracles''. And who knows, maybe the curriculum for the mind and the curriculum for the muscles will potentiate each other...

Yes, one day, out of the blue (seemingly), I started to run. And recently, in my second adulthood, having risen from unnamable trauma, wearing my sons' outgrown t-shirts and puma socks, I decided to move my body more intentionally, to join other people's positive energy, and to tickle our enchanting earth again with my feet.