Sunday, September 25, 2011

Help me, Rhonda!

Yesterday, Liverpool, NY was rainy and generally icky.  I had problems getting Cassie out of bed to go to our Running Clinic.  She wanted to sleep in.  Well, so did I.  A barrage of personal issues made me rethink this silly desire of mine.  Overwhelmed, frustrated, grumpy, and other not so Christian feelings flooded my body.  But Cassie got out of bed and got dressed.  So there went THAT excuse to blow off running.

So, I decked myself out with my new running shoes (professionally fitted to my feet), my new running fanny pack (I don't remember what they called it, but its cool, stretchy & polka dotted), and my new handheld palm sized running water bottle and went to the park. Earlier this week, my sister asked what we'd be doing after the run 1 walk 2, 10 times and I told her I didn't know.  Now I know why I didn't know... if I knew I probably wouldn't have forced Cassie out of bed.

My coach's name is Ronda.  She is petite, quiet, and very sweet looking.  To look at her you'd think she was a pediatric nurse, not the Hitler Incarnate she truly is.  We arrive and get the news that today we will be doing our 5 minute warm up walk, a 5 minute run, then walk 2, run 2, five times.  Then she just looks at her group of overweight, middle aged lunatics, just standing in weather that would rival London, with their multiple chins touching their toes (which is something their fingers cant do), and she's..... SMILING!!!  How can this little angelic looking person be so CRUEL?  Then, as poor Jerry lays there having a heart attack and I'm certain she has just lost her last marble, she say's "Ok!  Lets go!!", turns, and starts to walk.  Peer pressure caused us all to follow.

The miracle is I did it!!!  I will admit, by the time the last 2 minute run came, the only thing that kept me going was anger.  The frustration I was feeling with my personal life just came to the forefront and I literally got pissed at everyone and everything.  Well, it might not be a good thing, but it worked!!  I may not have control over anything in my life, but confoundit, I DID have control over this!!!  I could have just walked, but I was going to beat SOMETHING!!!  I wanted to beat Rhonda, but instead I "beat" the assignment!  I'm glad I did.  If I didn't, I might have hurt Rhonda, which wouldn't have been easy, as she is a runner and I really couldn't move much at that point.

So I've found another reason to keep continue my quest to become a runner.  It will save the lives of those around me, and there are cool accessories I can spend Pitman's money on!!  I have my eye on a 5k Window Decal for my car....

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Second Group Training Day


Before I start telling you about my second group training day, I need to make an addition to my first group training post.  See, Cassie took this picture of Sandra and I on our first day.  She may be mad because I posted it again in public, but I'm ok with it. 

My Running Buddy, Sandra, and I at the beginning of our becoming runner's journey 

My body is hidden in Rob's clothes.  Sorry, Sandra, but this is my blog and I am allowed only to post things that aren't too humiliating for me.  <grin> 

So, on to this morning.  I lived again!!  Actually, it was easier today than it was last week.  I also wasn't so scared, and I liked that.  Sandra has been moved into my group, and we think she injured her groin muscle.  (Pray for quick healing, and I wont mention her groin anymore... today).  We also have moved to 5 minute warm up walk, Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes, lather, rinse, repeat 10 times (instead of 8).  During my 2 run/walk homework assignments this week, I found out I'm not as sore as I thought I would be.  Its going well..... until I started thinking.

I'm a thinker.  Thats what I do.  And you put me somewhere, doing something that doesn't require thought, and I start thinking about other things.  Three quarters of the way through, I started remembering my family and both the ex and the current husbands laughing at me when ever I ran.  Even my kids laugh at me.  So, I'm looking at everyone around me, and a few of them look pretty darn silly, too.  So I fit in.  So I'm fine.  Walk 2 minutes.  All is good.  Start running again and it starts again.  "Yes, but when you run in the Boilermaker with your sister, your family will probably be there to cheer you on......  and they will point and laugh"  Crap.  I know I'm right about this...even though they'll say "Oh, no we wont!!" 

I can't see myself when I run.  I wish I could, or maybe its good I can't.  It could go either way.  I feel that my posture is good, elbows are bent, arms aren't flailing around with my finger's in princess mode....  Do I look like a runner?  I'm starting to feel like a runner, but I dont know if its enough.  Ok.  If all goes well, I won't have to worry about this for another 10 months.  So, now that I said it out loud, I can put it away and not think about it.... for a few hours, at least!! 

Oh, and Sandra?  I will humiliate myself now, just for you. 
Me & Cassie's Balloon Flower Hat at WienerFest

Hmmm...  and I'm worried about people laughing at my running technique?  Re-looking at this picture of me, I think I'm realizing that there will always be SOMETHING I do that my family will laugh at me for, and maybe thats not such a bad thing.