Keep Moving

February 4, 2017

In recent years, I was lured into running with the Peachtree City Running Club. It was a late-life venture, partly motivated by fitness, partly by socialization, and partly by the challenge to 'Just Do It'.

John is the oldest member of the PCRC. On Saturday mornings, runners pair up for a weekly 5K run around Lake Peachtree. As a novice, I was matched with John who was hovering around 80 years of age at the time and suffered from plantar fasciitis (a painful foot disorder). We were a good match.

John had years of experience, including multiple marathons. I had everything to learn. When asked, "What are your best tips for running?" John replied, "Just keep moving." I was expecting something more complex.

The dangling carrot was the Peachtree Road Race, which I ran for the first time in 2013. It was exhausting, but I kept moving until I crossed the finish line. One and done. Running the beach is my new dangling carrot.

In retrospect, John's tip makes perfect sense. In spite of discomfort and ignoring age, all you need to keep going is to keep moving.

[Carolyn Fjeran, LowTide explorer/reflective writer; horticulturist & gardener; former writer for Cooperative Extension Service, Master Gardeners, and The Newnan Times-Herald]

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