Exercise. It’s a four letter word times two. Exercise is a word we love to hate.

Many of you know that for my exercise, I love to walk. I have walked long, long distances for a good cause.

Over the summer, I was in the habit of getting up early to walk. My alarm would go off at 5am. I would drag myself out of bed just before Ed’s final snooze, throw my exercise clothes on and head out the door as Ed got into the shower. During our hot, hot summer the morning was the best time to walk. The sun was just rising; the air was still cool, (or as cool as it was going to be that day) and the whole world was quiet. I would come home feeling great, kiss Ed goodbye as he pulled out of the driveway and head inside for my morning cup of coffee with the newspaper.

I have a confession to make. Some people love to walk with a companion, to have someone else to chat with and to help set the pace. I hate it. I’m a loner. I don’t want to talk; I want to set my own pace, thankyouverymuch. I want to plug those ear buds in, listen to my playlists and be in a world all by my lonesome. Sometimes I want nothing more than to listen to the sounds around me; the wind blowing though the tree, the birds, the distant traffic. I crave the alone time and the thinking time. Walking is contemplative for me. I can’t be contemplative with someone blabbing the whole time about how slouching is bad for my digestion.

Everything was going so well and I was really racking up the summer miles.

Then one weekend, I caught a fever.

No, really, an honest to goodness fever. My temperature was over 100, so I spent the weekend resting and reading. No walking for me.

Then I just got out of the habit. Just like that. School started for the kids, I started teaching again, and I’m tired. I don’t want to get up at 5am anymore. It’s too dark. It’s too cold.

I miss the way it felt. How addicting it was to get my muscles moving; to get my heart pumping. To try to walk faster each day; to try shoot for that 15 minutes mile.

Today, the calendar is clear. Today, after I drop off the girls at school, I’m going for that walk. I’ll keep you updated.

And because I mentioned coffee up there in the first paragraph, I’m linking up to Coffee Friday. (I finally remembered, Paloma!)