For the Fun of It?

You know what I think of when I think of running?  Meatballs.  No, not the food.  And, no, not cloudy with a chance of.  I think of that 1979 summer camp classic, starring Illinois native, Bill Murray, and everyone's favorite...Chris Makepeace.  Chris...WHO?  Makepeace!  Have you seen My Bodyguard?  Please don't tell me you don't know who I'm talkin' 'bout. 

Wait...I was trying to blog about running...again.

OK, so Meatballs...running...Chris Makepeace...Bill Murray.  When I think of running, I think of the end of Meatballs, the big climactic scene.  Rudy (Makepeace) has been coached by lovable, irresponsible counselor Tripper (Murray) on the joys of running.  The solitary determination; the personal bests you can achieve; ah, for the fun of it!  Well, when Rudy's running the 5K to beat those nasty, uppity Camp Mohawk people in the end of summer camp olympics, they have a close up of him running and huffing and puffing and sweat pouring off his face.  And, the pained expression he displays is, well, less than appetizing.  Why on earth would anyone want to do that???

Then, I see my daughter.  My beautiful, happy-go-lucky, not-a-care-in-the-world daughter.  We went to a birthday party the other day, and when she found out she got to run around...just run around in a circle...the absolute joy on her face was breathtaking.  No panting.  No straining.  JUST JOY...pure and unadulterated.  Now, if I can run around in a circle with her, laughing and giggling, just for the REAL fun of it, then OK, you got me.  See you on the playground, chaps!