The Non-Athlete

I am a minority. Or at least I think I am.

I am a non-athlete. Awkward, uncoordinated, physically incompetent and self-conscious about every move I make. I still cringe at the idea of physical competition simply because I know I cannot compete. And in trying, I will make a total fool of myself. That is for sure. It seems the only thing I've strengthened is my sense of humor.

It's not that I don't have the will. As a high schooler, I yearned to excel in basketball and tennis. When I finally wore out a permanent seat on the bench, I turned to cheerleading. Oddly enough, I was pretty good, even with my athletic inability. So, I know there is a glimmer of hope ... even if it is circa 1998.

My newest endeavor? To become a runner. Hilarious, I know. I hated my legs as a cheerleader, but would just about kill for them today! After neglecting my fitness for far too long, it seems running may be the only hope to get jumpstarted on a path to shopping for smaller sizes.

But for someone who seemed to be much better at cheering for the athletes than becoming one myself, taking on any form of exercise is like trying to conquer a mountain -- a big one. Just getting started running and working out again is a big deal, especially having spent 28 years floundering for some sense of athleticism and usually failing quite miserably.

So, I will chronicle my journey here, conquering my everyday, ordinary mountains. What I have to report may not seem like much to folks that come by fitness naturally, but even a small victory is a victory. Here we go ...