Me: Who is Ariana Grande?
Bryan: I don't know sounds like something you order at Taco Bell.
Readers, I'm getting old. I stumbled across a replay of MTV's Video Music Awards the other day and I could feel the years slipping through my fingers. Who were all those people? Is that what kids are wearing? Is that music today?! If it wasn't for the fact that it was nearing 7:30pm, my actual bedtime 50% of the time, I would have been a little more horrified. Alas, I went to bed instead.
Running is weird. It makes me feel old and young at the same time. At every race I've done this year, there's always at least three times when I think, "Why am I here? What am I doing? This sucks." But then at every race I cross the finish line and inside I'm shouting, "YEEEAAAHHHH!! LET'S SIGN UP FOR ANOTHER RACE!" Sometimes I shout it out loud. Most times I just try to catch my breath in the ugliest way possible.
I just finished my 12th and final race of the year last Saturday. It's been awhile since I've posted about my running (or about anything at all), so I promise this week I will finish out my running posts. It may take more than one post since my writing, like my running, is very long-winded.
July: Chinatown 5k
I almost didn't do this race. I woke up the morning of the Chinatown 5k, looked outside to see it pouring rain, and thought it would be really easy to just go back to bed. I hadn't really been training, but I thought I would go ahead and try it. It would probably stop raining and it would be fun to go to Chinatown.
It did not stop raining. I think it actually started raining harder. There were runners huddled underneath tents and the store fronts trying to stay out of the rain. They called for the runners to line up and like idiots, we all walked out into the monsoon. I was soaked within 30 seconds. After a minute I realized that I was REALLY soaked. People ran with umbrellas. I ran with the hope of taking the opposite of a shower as soon as the race was over.
September: Bucktown 5k
I think it took all of August to officially dry off after the Chinatown race. I was starting to feel unmotivated and in need of a group of people to run with so I signed up for a 10k running class with the one and only Janice Enloe. I love Bryan, but he RUNS and I more casually jog. Usually when we run together I'm out of breath and constantly apologizing for how terribly slow I am. I am the dial-up of running and Bryan is High Speed Internet. AOL will be sponsoring me soon.
If you sign up for races based off the swag, I would highly recommend the Bucktown 5k. I've worn the sweatpants from September's race multiple times. Bryan wore his at our last race. I typically wear mine to have more room for pizza eating.
My running class taught me how to dress for running. Dress like it's 20 degrees warmer than it actually is. It's unfortunate that I didn't listen to the advice for September's race. It was a little bit cooler that day and I decided to wear my cool looking running jacket. Five minutes in I was dying from the heat, but I couldn't take it off since my number was pinned on the outside.
I know I make a lot of jokes about running slow, but I really am proud of myself for trying. I see a lot of people post things about being faster than yourself sitting on your couch and it's completely true. Don't get discouraged if you're not as fast as you want to be. I am trying to constantly remind myself that I'm so much faster than I was even a year ago. Running is running. Go as fast or as slow as you want to go. Unless you're being chased by a bear. Then you should probably try to go a little faster, but as my Dad always says, "You only have to be faster than the slowest person."
Bryan: I don't know sounds like something you order at Taco Bell.
Readers, I'm getting old. I stumbled across a replay of MTV's Video Music Awards the other day and I could feel the years slipping through my fingers. Who were all those people? Is that what kids are wearing? Is that music today?! If it wasn't for the fact that it was nearing 7:30pm, my actual bedtime 50% of the time, I would have been a little more horrified. Alas, I went to bed instead.
Running is weird. It makes me feel old and young at the same time. At every race I've done this year, there's always at least three times when I think, "Why am I here? What am I doing? This sucks." But then at every race I cross the finish line and inside I'm shouting, "YEEEAAAHHHH!! LET'S SIGN UP FOR ANOTHER RACE!" Sometimes I shout it out loud. Most times I just try to catch my breath in the ugliest way possible.
I just finished my 12th and final race of the year last Saturday. It's been awhile since I've posted about my running (or about anything at all), so I promise this week I will finish out my running posts. It may take more than one post since my writing, like my running, is very long-winded.
July: Chinatown 5k
I almost didn't do this race. I woke up the morning of the Chinatown 5k, looked outside to see it pouring rain, and thought it would be really easy to just go back to bed. I hadn't really been training, but I thought I would go ahead and try it. It would probably stop raining and it would be fun to go to Chinatown.
It did not stop raining. I think it actually started raining harder. There were runners huddled underneath tents and the store fronts trying to stay out of the rain. They called for the runners to line up and like idiots, we all walked out into the monsoon. I was soaked within 30 seconds. After a minute I realized that I was REALLY soaked. People ran with umbrellas. I ran with the hope of taking the opposite of a shower as soon as the race was over.
 |
| Look at those smiles! You would never guess that we have squishy socks and underwear. |
September: Bucktown 5k
I think it took all of August to officially dry off after the Chinatown race. I was starting to feel unmotivated and in need of a group of people to run with so I signed up for a 10k running class with the one and only Janice Enloe. I love Bryan, but he RUNS and I more casually jog. Usually when we run together I'm out of breath and constantly apologizing for how terribly slow I am. I am the dial-up of running and Bryan is High Speed Internet. AOL will be sponsoring me soon.
If you sign up for races based off the swag, I would highly recommend the Bucktown 5k. I've worn the sweatpants from September's race multiple times. Bryan wore his at our last race. I typically wear mine to have more room for pizza eating.
 |
| My friends Annika and Dan ran the race with me. And by "with me" I mean, they finished hours before me. I think I might still be running in Bucktown. |
I know I make a lot of jokes about running slow, but I really am proud of myself for trying. I see a lot of people post things about being faster than yourself sitting on your couch and it's completely true. Don't get discouraged if you're not as fast as you want to be. I am trying to constantly remind myself that I'm so much faster than I was even a year ago. Running is running. Go as fast or as slow as you want to go. Unless you're being chased by a bear. Then you should probably try to go a little faster, but as my Dad always says, "You only have to be faster than the slowest person."
No comments:
Post a Comment