For the record, I HATE running

My clothes are too tight. It is a simple problem really. I am fulfilling my daily caloric intake with coke and candy which doesn’t leave much room for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As I see it, I have two options: buy bigger pants or cut some crap out of my diet and get moving. As for the first choice, I have been to every clothing store I can think of and tried on every make, model and fit of anything remotely resembling a pair of jeans. It seems this lumpier version of myself isn’t compatible with denim. And so I have no choice but to eat healthier and find a workout regime I can stick to.

So yesterday I got off my couch and ran a 5K.

My sister and her coworker recruited a rag tag group of seven women to take their best shot at 3.2 miles on Fright Nite, two nights before Halloween. We all had slightly different goals for entering this race: some wanted to run the whole time, others wanted simply to finish, I prayed I wouldn’t pee my pants if someone were to jump out of the shadows to scare me. All in all we just wanted to survive it. The men in our lives also had expectations. Advice to the most fit and most trained member of the group was to make sure she stretched or she would certainly fail. My sister’s husband very sweetly gave her his lucky turtle necklace in the hopes that she wouldn’t be slow. My extremely competitive husband looked me in the eyes as I was walking out the door and said, “Win it. Win. It.” No pressure there.

I didn’t win it. I finished somewhere in the middle just doubling the winning time. But I am still alive, and I very nearly ran the entire time, walking just long enough to relieve a cramp. I am pretty proud. Who cares that I was passed by two eight year olds dressed in Halloween costumes? What does it matter that I can’t quite seem to control the bottom half of my body today due to soreness? I did it.

In celebration I had two doughnuts and a coke for breakfast. I suppose the healthier eating portion of my plan will begin tomorrow . . .



(My brother-in-law was waiting at the finish line with a dozen roses for my sister. This act awards him the gold star for awesome husband and makes her the big winner. Thanks for running with me sis!)