>     Today, I started my jogging regimen again. Since moving to North Dakota, I have gained at least forty pounds, and my clothing has been shrinking at an alarming rate; at this point, there is quite a bit in my wardrobe that I am unhappy about. I have resolved to change this by getting back into my exercise habit. Unfortunately, I have no bicycle, which is not only a good workout, but fun; and it’s less of a chore than running.
     I decided, after looking at weather.com at eight o’ clock this morning, that if I were to wait for the morning temps to hit fifty degrees, I’d be waiting a while yet. No more waiting! I threw on my sweatpants (or rather, I slid them on like you slide on socks,) put on my hoodie, threw on my Skullcandy Lowriders (red, white, and chrome, thank you so much,) and stalked stealthily down the mile of stairs to the door outside – creaking all the while. The stairs, I mean.
     Once outside, I put on Huey Lewis and the News – Greatest Hits. In retrospect, a great choice for jogging, but I didn’t feel nearly as peppy as the music sounded. At 8:12 I started jogging. At 8:18 or so, I had to slow down to a power-walk. I had trouble catching my breath, which seemed unusual to me. I was going to the gym a few months ago, and didn’t have this trouble breathing on either the elliptical or treadmill, but jogging always seemed tougher and more strenuous to me (although once you get used to it, it’s highly addictive.) I kept going, resolving to stay out until about 8:30; that was a good goal for day 1.
     About 8:25 I found myself about the distance of three blocks away from home (I was weaving around the different streets in my area,) and although I still could not catch my breath, I told myself I would jog the distance. About twenty seconds in, I had this sensation of being suffocated, and told myself to get past it. Either I sink or swim, I thought. I was breathing, after all. . . why did it have to be so hard? I forced myself to breathe harder, deeper, faster, until I realized that even though it felt like I couldn’t breathe, I was indeed going to make it. No problem.
     I made it home and climbed up the first flight of stairs, and unlocked the door while wishing I didn’t have another flight of stairs to go; while they look like simple stairs, easy enough to climb, they are steep and a royal pain when carrying in groceries or moving. The clock said it was just past 8:30 and that meant the alarm had gone up and Karisa had shut it off and gone back to bed. Good! That means I get the first shower! I forgot about my breathing problem after about ten minutes in the shower.
     I’m never getting any heavier than this, I’m back at my high school high, which is around 225 lb. and that’s already too heavy. Either I’ve become so out of shape that I just can’t breathe, or being sick so much this year has really taken a toll on my lungs. I’m hoping for the former, because I’m more familiar with fixing that problem.