Well, I did it. I registered for the Jingle Bell Run. After 4 years, I finally signed on. I have a friend who has volunteered to walk with me. Yes, I did say walk. I am not a runner. Oh, I can run from one mailbox to the next and then walk to the next, then run two mailbox lengths and walk the next two, etc., but that is where my running ends. I just can't seem to get any further in the running process. Maybe I am not trying hard enough. Or maybe I just was not cut out to be a runner.
I am semi-excited about the JBR. BUT, I think I am more anxious than anything. I really don't know what to expect. Here are a few things I am concerned about:
(1) Where do I go? Me and my friend are walking the route tomorrow afternoon so maybe that will help. Knowing me, come Saturday morning, I'll forget my own name and have no clue as where to go.
(2) How many people will be there? Not that I really care, but are we going to all start out neck and neck? Will they all just slide right by me and leave me at the rear? Or, worse than that, will the run over me like a bunch of cows in that bull run thing in Mexico or wherever? I can just see it now, me, splattered face down on Gold Street.
(2) Will I be able to make it? Well, I have been walking 3 miles or so these days so I should be able to finish. Key word here is "should". I'd hate for my friend to have to call 911 or my husband to come get me off the side of the road.
(3) Hills???? Heck yeah. I know the area and it is up hill all the way there and back. I will probably pass out. 911
(4) Will I be properly dressed for the occasion? Too hot too cold?
(5) What if I have to go to the bathroom? Believe me, this is a real concern for me. I have to go a lot.
(6) Did I sign up too late to get a hoodie? Dangit, I want one.
Oh well, after reading of this list, I realize that some of these concerns are not very important ones (except the bathroom thing). Oh, and the being mowed down by the mob and the killer hills. I bet some of these people are a lot more serious about this race thing than I am.
Which brings me to my final point about the Jingle Bell Run. This is for me. It is only important for me to me. I just want to start and finish. Oh well, prayers please.and if you don't ever hear from me again, I died trying....
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Wow!!! I haven't blogged here in 10 or so months. I have been walking and have not really decided if I am up to the Jingle Bell Run in a couple weeks. A couple weeks????? It sounds closer when you type it than when you say it. I really, really do think I could handle the 2 mile run/walk. I mean, seriously, who couldn't. I just have some reservations. First, what if I fall. I have this fear running down Maner Road absolutely everyday. No I am not really a clutz but I do have moments when I feel like my feet are not quiet fast enough for my body. It might be because of the spare tire I carry around my middle. I am, however, working on ridding myself of the spare. The walking is helping and the starvation diet (not really. Is hashbrown casserole and a chocolate cookie I had a church this morning part of a starvation diet? Just asking.) appears to be helping too. My family doctor has "requested" that I lose 18 pounds. Yes, 18 pounds. This, on top of the 10 I had already lost before I would face him at my routine appointment, puts me at losing 28 pounds. Oh well, it doesn't sound so scary since I only have about 11 more to go...Woohoo. Oh, but that is not the end. That is just where the doctor wants me to be. I have bigger plans for myself.
Ok, back to my reservations. Second, I haven't a thing to wear. Seriously. What does one wear in a 2 mile run? On my daily excursions I simply wear my capris sweat pants and an over-sized sweat shirt. Not very comfy but I refuse to wear spandex leggings and a sports bra and tight fitting shirt. Spare tire, remember.....Anyway, I must consult my fashion guru, aka Liz Eagle, if I want to step out, or walk/run out, in proper fashion attire. Then there is the shoe issue. I am in desperate need of new running shoes. But $100.00 on a new pair of running shoes for myself this close to Christmas seems selfish. North Carolina lowly paid public school teacher here.
Third issue. The foot thing. Oh, I did have major surgery to remove the culprit last week. (Not really major surgery in a health care sense, but anytime someone comes at me with a sharp object, I consider it major.) But the little bugger is coming back already. I don't know what the next step is. I guess just keep going back. Lane says to go ahead and try the "you didn't fix it right the first time" thing and see how that works. But it did seem to be "fixed" last week. It is probably the spare tire putting too much pressure on the poor thing. You'd think my big eight point fives would be able to hold up all this weight sufficiently. Guess not.
Fourth issue. The 3rd is Catherine's birthday. Since she has moved away and become, as we refer to her, "The Duchess of Sumter", I want to be able to spend the week-end with her. She is supposed to be coming home so I could still do the run but if not, (and you know how kids, especially mine, change their plans at the last minute) I want to go to Sumter. Where the heck is Sumter anyway???? I don't think I have ever been there. I hear it is a beautiful little town. She seems to like it there..
My fifth and final issue is this. How stupid will I look out there. Oh, I know, I really shouldn't care how I look. I mean I am the one who is on the streets with no makeup, hair unkept, stained shirt, etc., but there will be millions of people at this thing. Well, maybe not millions but hundreds anyway. They will all pass me from the beginning when the gun fires. (I will probably jump out of my skin and fall backwards and be trampled to death by the mob anyway.) Seriously though, I walk/run for no other reason than to please myself and make me healthier. I don't really need to have anyone track my run and see how fast or, in my case, how slow I am.
I love, love, love my daily outings about the neighborhood. I'm not really sure how far I am up to these days because most days I just keep going and going...I usually walk about 50 minutes to an hour. My pace does vary and sometimes I stop to chat or look at something on the road or admire someones flowers or pick up some treasure along the way or simply meditate and admire the beauty around me, even on cold or rainy days. Will I be able to do that at the Jingle Bell? On second thought, maybe I don't need the Jingle Bell. Maybe I need to just continue doing what I'm doing. You know, just for me.....
Ok, back to my reservations. Second, I haven't a thing to wear. Seriously. What does one wear in a 2 mile run? On my daily excursions I simply wear my capris sweat pants and an over-sized sweat shirt. Not very comfy but I refuse to wear spandex leggings and a sports bra and tight fitting shirt. Spare tire, remember.....Anyway, I must consult my fashion guru, aka Liz Eagle, if I want to step out, or walk/run out, in proper fashion attire. Then there is the shoe issue. I am in desperate need of new running shoes. But $100.00 on a new pair of running shoes for myself this close to Christmas seems selfish. North Carolina lowly paid public school teacher here.
Third issue. The foot thing. Oh, I did have major surgery to remove the culprit last week. (Not really major surgery in a health care sense, but anytime someone comes at me with a sharp object, I consider it major.) But the little bugger is coming back already. I don't know what the next step is. I guess just keep going back. Lane says to go ahead and try the "you didn't fix it right the first time" thing and see how that works. But it did seem to be "fixed" last week. It is probably the spare tire putting too much pressure on the poor thing. You'd think my big eight point fives would be able to hold up all this weight sufficiently. Guess not.
Fourth issue. The 3rd is Catherine's birthday. Since she has moved away and become, as we refer to her, "The Duchess of Sumter", I want to be able to spend the week-end with her. She is supposed to be coming home so I could still do the run but if not, (and you know how kids, especially mine, change their plans at the last minute) I want to go to Sumter. Where the heck is Sumter anyway???? I don't think I have ever been there. I hear it is a beautiful little town. She seems to like it there..
My fifth and final issue is this. How stupid will I look out there. Oh, I know, I really shouldn't care how I look. I mean I am the one who is on the streets with no makeup, hair unkept, stained shirt, etc., but there will be millions of people at this thing. Well, maybe not millions but hundreds anyway. They will all pass me from the beginning when the gun fires. (I will probably jump out of my skin and fall backwards and be trampled to death by the mob anyway.) Seriously though, I walk/run for no other reason than to please myself and make me healthier. I don't really need to have anyone track my run and see how fast or, in my case, how slow I am.
I love, love, love my daily outings about the neighborhood. I'm not really sure how far I am up to these days because most days I just keep going and going...I usually walk about 50 minutes to an hour. My pace does vary and sometimes I stop to chat or look at something on the road or admire someones flowers or pick up some treasure along the way or simply meditate and admire the beauty around me, even on cold or rainy days. Will I be able to do that at the Jingle Bell? On second thought, maybe I don't need the Jingle Bell. Maybe I need to just continue doing what I'm doing. You know, just for me.....
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