A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

I knew if I titled it "Jogging" everyone would skip it.

As it is, 1/2 of you stopped reading right there.

But seriously, I love it, and y'all should give it a try.

No Gym workout will ever compare. (Except maybe Sunday morning's step & sculpt class with Rosina.)

You have that old school-Rocky-eye-of-the-tiger feel when you go jogging. No special place, machines or equipment necessary.

It is like a form of mediation for me.

I know a lot of people stick buds in their ears and jam along to an IPOD. I would never do that. First, I'm a girl, and I'd like to hear if some is going to come out of the bushes at me. (I jog with a Doberman & Rottweiler for similar reasons.)

But more importantly, I want to hear, see, smell and generally experience my neighborhood. The breeze, the trees, the dogs barking, the birds chirping... all of that does exist in the real world, not just on TV.

It helps me sleep better. Not just the exercise part, but the clearing my mind part. When you aren't distracted by your music, you think things through. Those people that lay in bed at night thinking of all the things they need to do, sorting out problems, I do that when I'm jogging so my mind is at ease when I go to sleep.

When you start actually going some distance, you concentrate on your breathing. And without the music, you are acutely aware of how much farther you have to go. Nothing is distracting you from that goal, and how effing far away it is. That builds discipline. You tell yourself you are going to go that far, and you do it. And you push that goal back a little farther every day till all of a sudden you are jogging 3 miles. And that self control, that discipline, seeps into other aspects of your life. It will help you choose that healthier snack, when you really want a slice of cherry pie. Skip the bottle of Coke this afternoon. (Well, maybe not skip the coke. I mean, come on, who can resist a glass bottled Coke?)

And if you are a parent, your child will love it. Joey absolutely loves to go jogging. All of her senses experience new and different things. She plays with her doggies, get out of the house. She gets plenty of sunshine and yes...

A breath of fresh air.