A run in solitude

As one of my 25 jobs I like to dabble in, I spend some of my life as a professor in a doctoral program for physical therapy.  Being a runner/triathlete/idiot myself, I took the initiative to start a running club with my student body.  What could be better for a group of future physical therapists aside from becoming, well, PHYSICAL?

Monday was our first night and I was so excited!  Things didn't go exactly as planned.  Below is an email I sent out immediately after the first meeting that I thought might resonate with some of my readers here:

Tonight's run was fantastic. A full loop of Central Park was taken on, and pretty fast I might add. The only trouble: I was the only one there. WHOMP!
Many of you have expressed interest in joining but raised concerns you wouldn't be able to keep up. Nonsense! 
Allow me to tell you how I started as a runner. The winter of 2009 I decided to sign up for my first marathon. To give you perspective, I had never at that point run more than a mile continuously. In middle school we had to run a mile as a fitness test; I came in dead last...and I cheated! I hated running, so why did I sign up for a 26.2 mile race? 
No clue. 
My first training run was 1 mile. I almost died. My long run for that first week was 3 miles. It was the saddest thing you've ever seen, I assure you. I ran when I could and walked when necessitated. It was all kinds of ugly but I got through it. 
So if you're worried you aren't fast enough, will feel embarrassed, will run like a cartoon version of yourself, or are afraid to start, please just picture me during my first week of training. You have nothing on the spectacle I created. No chance. 
For most journeys the hardest step is the first...
Great, now you've got me speaking in catch phrases worthy of bumper stickers. Who's embarrassed now?
If you've never run in your life aside from dashing to catch the train, you'll be fine. If you used to run but haven't laced up in 20 years, you'll be fine. If you're worried you'll get hurt, I know a terrific physical therapist. If you're faster than me, I'll be fine...mostly. 

I plan to be consistent and trust that I will eventually give the gift of running to some.  Only thing better than the feeling I get from running will be the feeling I get knowing I've shared it.

Onward!