Let me be very clear about something. I DO NOT KNOW WHO I'VE TURNED INTO. I just wanted to air that out before you think I'm bragging about some type of athleticism that I don't actually possess. I've told you before and I will tell you again. If I'm going to talk vainly about myself...it will have nothing to do with my athletic prowess, I can assure you.
Despite the fact that the three other people in the picture below look like 50 year old non-traditional students from a Molly Ringwald movie, the circled girl laying flat out on the track could have been me on any given M,W or F throughout my high school career. I hated gym class. I loathed those presidential awards and I certainly didn't appreciate that the mile I completed in a mere 25:45 seconds went down in my permanent record. I confess, I raged against the machine for quite some time. I mean, I was the girl who stopped riding her bike as a teenager because my parents were going to make me start wearing a helmet. Needless to say physical exertion...particularly running, was nowhere on my radar. Until last year.
I knew I needed to get my act together and find a cardio routine that worked for me. With my weight and age slowly creeping up, the elliptical just wasn't cutting it and I needed something that was going to make me break a sweat. Going out on a limb, I decided to try the Couch to 5K app. I literally thought I was going to die...and I was running for 30 seconds at a time. 30 seconds!! Gradually my endurance and breathing improved and since that time, I have successfully worked my way up the running ladder. I'm not saying it looks good when I'm doing it..but I feel good, and THAT matters.
This brings me to the phenomenon that occurred two weekends ago. I noticed a post listed on the Facebook Taipei running site, and a woman had a slot in the local Nike 10 K race that she couldn't follow through with due to an injury. First, let me just say that once I got the handle on running, I got kind of addicted. So much in fact, that I had been looking for a "K" to do for quite sometime..I've just never been able to get in. Imagine my excitement...(yes excitement!) when I was able to secure that slot. In a Women's Nike run no less! It was a great time, and the sense of accomplishment I felt was totally worth the work getting there.
Not that I'm headed for the Olympics or anything....but...........look out!!! ; )
You're our own Little Honey Boo Boo! You bewilder and amaze me. I hate running to the point that I vow never to do it unless there is a person chasing me with a knife. In fact, the person would have to be much larger than me because if the odds were even close to 50/50 I'd stay and fight...and we both know how that would turn out. I salute your determination and if I had one, I'd give you a trophy!
ReplyDeleteHA!- I'd take that trophy!!!! You don't have spares?!
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