Some times in order to start over, you need to step away.

This morning I was watching an interview with Matthew McConaugh about his new book Greenlights (Can’t wait to read). He was talking about how he stepped away for 2 years from the business and when he came back he was considered “new” again. That he was able to start over and not be pigeonholed for one type of character. He still loved what he had done before, but in order to start over he needed to step back.

I’ve stepped back.

I’ve said before that I’m ready to begin again. I am ready to run again. To begin with no expectations of what I used to be and with the expectations of what I will be. Just to rediscover who I am as a runner today and not keep trying to put a square peg in a round hole. It never works and brings nothing but frustrations.

What’s old is new again.

I’ve talked the talk and now I am going to walk the walk. Actually I am going to run/walk the walk. I have stepped back. I have allowed my body a chance to reset. There are no expectations what it can do as a runner as I have no clue. There is no I must do this pace or must hit this milage. There is only today.

Last week this time, I was recovering from walking my NYC Marathon. This was my final step in putting my expectations behind me and moving forward as a new runner. I had set the goal to walk the marathon and I did. I am ready to run again, but as the runner I am today and not the runner I was years ago. I am ready to forge a new path and see where it takes me. To accept where it takes me.

So with all this in mind, today I started the Couch to 5 K program. Some may say that is odd as I just completed a marathon, but I did so as a walker. I have not run in several months. It felt good to get out today. To follow the plan. To not feel I needed to be going faster. To not feel like I needed to hit a distance. To not have expectations that could not be met. There was only what was today.

And that was enough.