Learning to Breathe

I know I shouldn't, but I sometimes hold my breath while I'm running. I discovered this yesterday when I decided to take off running down the hill by my house to the park.

I want to be a good runner. I want to exercise more, really, but specifically I want to start running. Not that I'm not fit. I am. I just want to get used to walking for long periods of time. When I go on my mission I'll be expected to do a lot of walking, even running--- from dogs (like dingos, possibly, eh?), and kangaroos. (Do kangaroos chase missionaries in Australia??)

The problem is, I'm not much of a runner. I thought about trying out for the track team in high school but never did. And I try to have all these plans of getting up in the morning and running around the block, but I never do.

That is all going to change. I haven't figured out my schedule quite yet, but when I do... I'll make sure I plan on running every other day or something.

Yesterday---just to try it out--- I went running. And I realized that I forget to breathe. It's such a silly thing to forget. Not only that, but it poses a few problems. 1) It makes me more tired more quickly 2) it makes me red in the face and I feel light headed, which isn't a good thing, and 3) I could die; breathing is not only a habit I have gotten myself into, but something that is crucial if I decide to continue living.

I've had to re-learn to breathe. There is a rhythm, I've learned. "one, two, three, four BREATHE!... one, two, three, four, BREATHE!..." My sister and her husband taught me a few things about breathing while running. Also, I need to set my shoulders back while I run, and I need to swing my fists better. So much to remember. Such simple things that take practice.

I imagine being a missionary will feel like this: learning to breathe all over again. I'll have to create/ find a groove, get used to the rhythm of missionary work and remember to breathe...!