Oh for the joy of Dance Running. Have you, perchance, seen me at the gym? I mouth along to the lyrics filtering through my ear buds. I speed up, I slow down. I have even been known to sneak in a jazz hand or two. Dance runner. That's me.
I can't remember the exact moment in my life I officially became a dance runner. I am pretty sure it was between crawling and college, as I have always enjoyed a good beat. There is a fantastic home movie circa 1984 staring one Miss. Lori Vickers on a rocking horse, humming her own John Wayne anthem only to add appropriate crescendo to such anthem by bopping one younger sister on noggin with a plastic baseball bat. You quickly hear my father from behind the mammoth video recording device give a warning, "LAWrie..." but I know the secret message he was sending me within that slightly faded North Dakota accent... , "You are rhythmically gifted, daughter, " I heard it echo from his frown, "Let the beat lead your sneakers in all your future endeavors. Go forth and get funky." And like the brave hero, I have.
I have let the rhythm move me. No matter how much it scares the retired gentleman on the treadmill next to me at the gym. "Yes, Sir!" I smile, "I AM running backwards on a treadmill! Yes, the incline is pretty high! No. I don't think my mother would approve!"
I don't limit my performances to indoor venues, thankfully, I am happy to bring the joys of dance running to the streets. Yes, that is me, coming up from behind and, yes, I may just be truffle shuffling as I pass you. And I will take that sideways glance as stoic amazement, thank you very much.
Is dance running for everyone? No. Is it distracting? Probably. Is it fun? Well, for me it is. And that's why I do it. Exercise should release tension. And dance running makes the treadmill bearable. It makes me smile. Do I dance my way through every run? I am pretty sure I don't. But when it's cold outside, and the kids have been cranky and I miss my husband and the toilet needs a new pump and the dishes still aren't clean and the weeds in the front yard won't just die already... dance running. There is a reason as ankle biters we want to run everywhere we go. It's fun. Raising your arms out to your sides and giving your backyard a good once around, humming like a jet plane is actually a pretty good remedy for a crappy day. We need to inject our lives with as many joyous moments as we possibly can. There is more to living a healthy life than just watching what you eat and making sure you sweat. It's about discovering true enjoyment within the little things we do daily. The freshness of a salad. The sound of your child's laughter. The appreciation of a stranger's act of kindness. It's the hidden genius in a Justin Bieber song, if only for giving you a moment of pure silliness with your spouse. And so I choose to be a dance runner. Because to me, it's less about getting things done and more about living.
May your walls know joy; may every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility.
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