Exiting the comfort zone

I have been looking for additional workout opportunities lately. I perused the websites of  two Barre classes in the Cleveland area. They are both too expensive for my budget. I am a new employee at University Hospitals so I decided to check out their discounted fitness opportunities. They offer a discount at 121 Fitness on the CWRU campus. With the discount, the cost for a monthly membership was 4 times what I pay at my current gym. I decided that I would just look in to taking a couple classes at the gym. While looking over their webpage, I happened upon a free running group. There are many reasons that I am not a running group type girl. The two most important ones are 1. I am socially awkward. I do not do well in social settings with people that I do not know. You should assume that if you invite me somewhere where I do not know at least one individual personally, I will bail on you. In the event that I am forced into one of these situations, I will replay my awkward conversations over in my mind to evaluate just how weird I may have come across to the people that I spoke with. NUMERO DOS: I am a slow runner. I am always anxious about being the slowest runner. This fear is often reinforced by my performance in races where 90 year olds, men running in Tevas pushing strollers or hugely pregnant women pass me *insert sad face here* I decided to try this group out anyway...When I arrived at the meeting spot, I was immediately intimidated. Everyone looked like a runner. I mean, they all looked like they were about to dust me. The group leader introduced himself to me and we headed out from the gym to the CWRU track. This run was about one mile. I would have preferred a nice jog but the group was RUNNING! I kept up with a gentleman in the back. When we got to the track, people introduced themselves to me. It made me no less nervous. I had no idea what to expect. I kept track of my run on my NikePlus app. While moreover than not the times are pretty accurate, the first mile was not as accurate. I let the timer run during some of the group leader's instructions. If I remember correctly, the workout was a 1600, a 1200, an 800, a 400, two 200s, a 400 and an 800. The group leader noticed that myself and 2 other runners were slower and altered the workout a bit for us. I ran an 800 instead of the 1200 and at the end I was a little tuckered out and ran a 400 instead of the 800. When the group ran back to the gym, I followed suit. I stopped running about a quarter mile away from the gym. I wish I had realized how close I was!! I would not have stopped!!My total mileage for Saturday was 4.7 miles. My fastest mile Saturday was 8.55. I find it easy to run for prolonged periods of time at an easy, comfortable pace. This run on Saturday was challenging and forced me out of my comfort zone socially and physically. I am nervous to run with the group again when they run on the street. I may just be running by myself as I am a lot slower than everyone else. I did enjoy the track workout though. I am always excited to see what new things my body can do. Rolling up on forty does not mean that my life should slow down. It means that I may have to try new things and push a little harder to get the results I want. I am prepared to do this. And I will roll into 40 veeeeeeeery slowly. I have 2 more years!