It's become fun to run

For a vast majority of my life, the extent to which I ran took place on a softball diamond.
It was generally from one base to the next, maybe even two at a time. If I was lucky, I may even be able to run three bases.
And, if my teammates hit it far enough, I could circumnavigate the infield without fear of being tagged out and greet the guy at home plate with a high five for allowing me to strut around the base paths.
In short, I’m not a runner.
Now let me define what I mean by the term “running.”
I use my legs to get from one place to the next in one of two ways — walking or running. Anything with a pace faster than my walk, I consider running. I just run at different speeds depending on the circumstances.
Ground ball to the shortstop, I’m running fast. Teammate hits a home run (because that is more likely than me doing it myself) I run slowly around the bases.
That was the extent of my running, and I was perfectly content with that level of exertion.
In 2012, though, I ran my first 5K with my sister-in-law and her mother when I was on a health kick. I did one more after that, and I’ve completed the Mad Run in Fort Recovery twice.
All four of those events included walking to catch my breath or to rest tired muscles.
I’m not much of a runner. I’m asthmatic, and my inhaler has become such a part of me that I tend to know where one is at all times, much like most of society does with cell phones.
I changed, however, when the calendar turned over to 2016.
Since the first of the year, I’ve completely altered the way I approach health and fitness. In March 2015 I was at the most I had ever weighed, and after seeing my father drop more than 80 pounds that year I got motivated to change my life.
So over the course of the last five and a half months, I’ve eaten much better than I have before, aside from the occasional El Camino visit. I’ve worked out at the community center six days a week — playing basketball, lifting weights from time to time and …
I’m becoming a runner.
I try to do cardio every day, whether I lift weights or not. Basketball three days a week generally takes care of that, but the other three days I find myself needing to get a good sweat going. In January, that task was fulfilled on an elliptical.
My routine would be to use the elliptical for a half hour or 4 miles, depending on which was longer. Some days I would struggle to get 4 miles. Other days I would blow past that distance, but still quit at 30 minutes.
Then one day, probably the middle of March, I wanted to mix things up to break the monotony. I hopped on a treadmill and gave it the ol’ college try.
Since then, I’ve been able to jog — I mean run, because if I’m not walking I’m running — for longer durations and distances. A couple weeks ago I was able to run 2 miles nonstop, the furthest I’d ever gone.
Last week I ran around Portland on a 2.42-mile rectangle on the southwestern part of the city without needing to take a break to walk, whether from fatigue or the inability to breathe.
Running on a treadmill is easier for me than running on pavement. It is less stressful on my knees and ankles, as well as my hamstrings, calves and quads. I am typically not as sore afterward from running on a treadmill as I am from pavement.
Tuesday, that personal best on a treadmill was pushed to 3 miles.
Wednesday, I made a new running route through Portland, one that was 3.55 miles, and didn’t stop once.
This whole “running” thing isn’t so bad after all.
Cardio has been a big part of my new desire to become healthier and more fit.
As a result of that, as well as eating better, I’ve lost nearly 40 pounds since the first of the year, and I am a shell of who I was when I was at my highest weight 14 months ago.
Running has played a crucial role in the person I am today.
I no longer hate to run. Instead of running only when necessary — like on a softball diamond — I’m beginning to run for pleasure.
I just embrace that I may not be as fast as most people.
I used to be insecure about people seeing me run, but now I want to be seen when I’m out and about, taking it one stride at a time while chasing my health goals.
Now, I think I’ve become a runner.