Personal best

My husband tends to think of himself as my fitness coach, much in the same way Terry "Hulk" Hogan does for his wife in their hilariously staged show.

So when I came home from the gym one day content with my 10-minute mile, he asked when I was going to try to step up a little. Instead of running faster for shorter periods, why not try running a little slower and longer?

I tried it out yesterday. When I stepped on the treadmill I told myself I would try for 15 minutes at 5.5 mph (about an 11-minute pace) instead of 6 mph (which is a 10-minute mile). It started getting tough around three-quarters of a mile, as it always does, but I pushed through.

As I approached 15 minutes, I thought about my husband. The man gleefully plugging away on a stationary bike watching TV would be impressed if I ran the entire 20 minutes.

I did it.

Let's see if I can do it again...