Why Run?

A friend asked me the other day why I ran since I hate it so much.  I gave the typical, "Oh, for my health" answer but honestly, that's just not it.

Don't get me wrong - health is the ultimate reason I run.  When I was *cough* younger, I worked out religiously.  And I was in decent shape - not GREAT, but decent shape.  I liked the way I looked, I was confident, and my self esteem was off the charts.  Then life got in the way - aka two kids named Olivia and Cooper - and suddenly working out ceased to exist.  I'm finally at a place where I want and need to work out again.  It's tough.  Very tough.  But it's getting easier every week.  Especially now that I'm seeing results - weight is coming off and the shape I USED to have is slowly somewhat coming back.  Can I get a BooYah?  BOOYAH!!!

Seriously though - the #1 reason I continue running even though I hate it.....is because of my Mom.  She's had two back surgeries since this summer.  It's been tough on her.  I complain all the time about how hard running is and she quietly says "I just wish I could walk" - WOW.   Here I am taking for granted the ability to run, when my Mom struggles on a daily basis with something as simple as walking.  Her back is slowly getting better, but she still has her bad days.  That's what I think about on the Rail Trail.....and that's what gets me back out there the next day.   

Do I enjoy pain?

So we survived our first 5k earlier in the month.  But since we all survived, we decided to try to kill ourselves again.  We're smart.  Smart, smart people.  Who love running until we almost collapse and *still* come in towards the end of the race.  :)

We're doing another one on April 9th - it's at the Darlington Race Track and to be honest, I'm getting pretty excited about it.  For one, I know for a fact I won't die running a 5k so that's a HUGE bonus and also, the race itself is to raise money for breast cancer research and how can I NOT participate?  And the race has a catchy name "Operation Rack Rescue" - LOVE IT. 

Then we're running in another 5k in May - The Race for Taylor over in Florence.  Another race for a good cause that I'm pretty excited about.   If that weren't enough, I just found another 5k in Hartsville in June that I think Al and I will do (I'm going to try to talk Pam into this one too but since it's in June, she may resist) although it's probably going to give both of us a heat stroke.  Hopefully someone will drag me across the finish line so I can at least say I finished.  :)  

I'm almost ashamed to admit that I am beginning to find enjoyment in running.......until I'm actually running/sweating/wheezing and then, I hate it.  Still.

Finding Dinosaurs

Pam and I come across a ton of wild life on the Rail Trail.  Nothing prepared us for what we saw earlier this week.  (Nice hook huh?)

I wish I had a picture of the skeleton that we came across - but I don't.  No Boo-ing please.  I meant (Pam was too embarrassed for me to stop during the run) to take a picture on the way back but either someone kindly threw it in the woods or some old man's dog had a really tasty/nasty pre-dinner treat.  I can't tell you what it was - either a small dog or rather fat cat, but whatever it was, it was deader than a door nail and sure in hell didn't walk back into the woods.

Cause if it did, I probably would be rather well at running now and wouldn't hate it as much.  Know what I mean?

But you know what's weird?  Now I kind of get those nerdy people that like to find bones.......so in my mind I'm pretending we found a miniature dinosaur.  BooYah Baby BooYah.

6 days

Six days with no posts.  Want to know why?

I hate running. 

I told you a few posts ago to remember that!  Come on people!!!  Actually, I just haven't had anything to post about.  The past week has been kind of hard - running wise since the 5k so I've been a little bummed.  Pam and I had a decent run/walk today but there's just days where I feel we are making no progress.  So frustrating peeps!

And on top of all that - I tried to "stop cussing while I run" which lasted all of 10 seconds.  I'm sorry.....if I'm going to run, I'm going to have a potty mouth.  Pam can't say a thing because girlfriend only lasted 3 seconds in the "no cussing" contest.

I need a running role model bad.  So does Pam.

Quotes that express my feelings

I've found some quotes on running that I think pretty much sum up how I feel about running.  Here they are:

"The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again."
- Erma Bombeck

"I don't think jogging is healthy, especially morning jogging. If morning joggers knew how tempting they looked to morning motorists, they would stay home and do sit-ups."
- Rita Rudner

No one ever drowned in sweat. – Unknown

Workouts are like brushing my teeth; I don’t think about them, I just do them. The decision has already been made.
Patti Sue Plumer

Running is real and relatively simple — but it ain’t easy.
Mark Will-Weber

(this one is my favorite)

Race Day!

Today was THE day.  Race Day....Mine, Pam's and Al's very first 5k.  And you know what?  WE ROCKED!!!!  The course was way tougher than any of us thought, we weren't expecting to be running through fields and uneven grass, but we did it.  Pam and I made it (unofficially, according to my iPod) in 46 minutes and 07 seconds.  Which is about a 14 (and some seconds) minute mile.....and that ain't shabby folks.  Especially for three people who've never really ran before!  Have I mentioned WE ROCKED? 

Al finished 3rd in his age group - he was pretty stoked that he placed in his first race.  I told him he needed to get a shirt made that said "I place when I race" - I think it's catchy don't you? 

 Me and Al before the race started.

 Me and Pam before the race.  We were pumped up!



The last two pictures were post race....and we were TIRED.  And Hot.  And sweaty.  And achy.  But we felt like we were on top of the world. 

I can tell you one thing - I still hate running.  More so more than ever.  But now I *know* I can do these things called 5k's and right now (it may be the adrenaline hasn't worn off yet) I feel awesome. 

Solo ain't my thing

I learned a hard lesson in running tonight.  Mandy ain't no solo runner baby.  My girl Pam couldn't run today so I decided to hit the Y and run on the treadmill.

Before my run, I had images of myself pounding away on the treadmill sweating (in a sexy, hot way of course) and getting skinner by the second.  Of course that *didn't* happen.  I sweated, but I probably looked anything but hot and sexy and I don't think I'm any skinner now than I was before I ran.  Boo.

I need motivation - I need someone running beside me to help me push through when I'm ready to stop....which is about 15 seconds into running.  For reals. 

Have I mentioned that my first 5k is only days away?  Oh yeah, I'm totally prepared.  *sigh*