It’s National Running Day… Facebook told me so. And, as it turns out, I will probably run this afternoon, as I do 3-4 times most every week. This weekend, I will run my first 5k (well, first official 5k, as I have run 5k before.)

But I am not a runner.

I say this often, and truly believe it… look, I’ve seen runners, I know runners, and I just don’t have that same fervent gaze when talking about running. I don’t even talk about running. Unless I’m complaining.

And I do complain – just not as much as I used to. It hurts, it takes time, I’m not built for it, it’s not fun… every single time I slowly begin to plod my way around a track or on a trail, I go through a checklist of reasons why I don’t want to do what I am doing.

And after that first 5 minutes, and I realize that I have many more to go if I’m going to get anything out of it (other than a negative attitude), well that’s when the negotiations start.

Maybe I should give my legs a break and ride the bike?

How about this, I’ll make it to 10 minutes, and then I’ll ride the bike.

Maybe I should stop now because I really have some work to do?

Or I’ll stop at 10, and then do another 10 after work.

Maybe I can just eat a really light lunch, and some air and water for dinner?

I’m like the worst, low-rent, least-exciting version of Holmes and Moriarty, working through this lame game of cat-and-mouse pretty much every single time until I realize that I’ve been at it over 15 minutes and may as well keep going.

And I know I annoy many of my Facebook friends with the automated posts from my Nike+ app – I’ve been told as much, numerous times – but it’s made me feel a little more accountable. It’s not for boasting that I let those posts or status updates populate your feed, it’s to motivate myself to get off my ass.

And it’s worked – for me, this non-runner-running-type-activity I do has made an undisputable difference.

I’m 46, I have a new baby and wife I want to spend all my time with, friends and family I enjoy and want to continue to enjoy…

and I like feeling healthier than I ever have.

I am not a runner.

I don’t like running.

I just dislike being unhealthy even more.