My problem is this: After about four years of living without my car (I, uh, lent it to my brother for a really long time), I suddenly have it back. Though I have many tumultuous feelings about how utterly regressive this just because I can get a full extra half hour of sleep if I drive to work instead of walk. So I have perhaps been overcompensating for this by trying to become a self-styled “exercise addict.” This means in addition to my standard, er, “program” of boxing class three days a week for two hours per class, I have taken up a lunch break Pilates class on Thursdays, and a running Tuesday evening jogging date with a girlfriend (though our varying schedules sometimes mean we don’t make it.) My goal is to get a workout at least six days a week. That, more or less, makes five. I prefer classes but they can be expensive, and running is free, so running has sort of become my fall-back no-excuses-for-missing-this workout routine. I have to admit that I was pretty cocky about it—my boxing routine is pretty effing hardcore, and having done it for almost 2.5 years I fancied that it’s made me pretty tough. It even sometimes involves running, though there’s not enough time to squeeze it in as any more than warm up. But running a long ways… That is a different beast entirely. It pretty much kicks my ass, and my primary goal is to be able to do the esplanade loop from the Hawthorne to the Steele bridge and back without ending up walking like half the way. It’s good to have that as a challenge, and I work well with goal-oriented tasks. Already it’s getting easier; when I first did it, my entire body came to a point of protest. Which I know is good, I’m all about no pain, no gain and all of that. And running is so painful that I pretty much am convinced it’s got to be outstandingly beneficial. My question is twofold: What’s even harder than running that I should try to sate my new addiction? I’m looking for a challenge. And, any general running advice? Ways to make it easier? Inspiring success stories? Anyone want to buy a car? (Just kidding.)