I’ve always avoided physical exertion at all costs. A fat kid who became an overweight adult, I’d joined gyms a couple times, made some weak attempts at fitness, but only because I wanted to lose weight and look better.

Somewhere in my 30’s I finally figured out the eating thing and enjoyed a normal weight from that point on, but remained a sloth of a gal – “skinny fat” as they say. Exercise meant swiveling in my computer chair.

Cut to age 45, I was flabby, felt ugly, hated my body, then finally some bad shit went down in my life and that was it for me. I was a middle-aged women who, if I didn’t make some positive changes for myself, would be one big ball of depression from here on in.

So in December 2006, I started buying exercise DVDs. Lots of DVDs. I became the Callanetics-Bootcamp-CardioSalsa-Pilates-Yoga Queen. And it was working; I had something to concentrate on, my body was toning up and my general outlook was positive.

Then, for some reason unknown to me, in February 2007 I ordered some running shoes online.

When I tried them on, I couldn’t believe the way they felt, seriously the most comfortable shoes I’d ever worn. I became curious, glancing outside at the winter days, imagining myself jogging around in my fancy running shoes. I googled running sites and forums, found the C25K plan and Robert Ullrey’s accompanying podcasts, and that, my friends, was the beginning of my second life – my Running Life.