The Joy of Exercise

Three or four days later, to my amazement, I found I could run between two sets of lampposts before having to walk the next set. Ten days later, somehow—with tears streaming down my cheeks and curses at my own stupidity for taking up such an absurd activity—I actually ran a mile. I couldn’t believe that it had happened. I had the same desire to stop and walk several times but for some reason I didn’t. I kept saying to myself, “Just a little farther and then I’ll stop”—but when a “little farther” came I pushed on again and again.

When I finally arrived home, instead of being pleased with my triumph I had the feeling that I had not really done it. That I had made it all up the way a child does a story about what he has done at school today. Or that my having run a mile was an accident of fate which I would never be able to repeat. (more…)