This Is Getting Ridonkulous

Today I watched a friend and my cousin run in the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon in Toronto. For those of you who don't know anything about running, it's 42 kilometers from start to finish. That's like running from downtown Toronto to friggin' Oakville. This run just doesn't seem natural to me. People start to go wiggy, some woman shat herself and was running with it all down her legs, and most people puke at the end. Why the hell would you do that to yourself? I was sooooo proud when I saw the two of them cross the finish line before the 3 hour and 55 minute mark. What an amazing accomplishment!




So you may remember that I set a goal for myself over two years ago........I surrendered. I think it was too ambitious of a goal (10 kms). I've never been a fan of running although I used to run at the gym all the time on the treadmill. Granted, treadmill running is not comparable to real running, but I managed to get up to 4 kms each day. I was about 12 lbs thinner back then, so it's not a HUGE stretch to think that I can do that again. I'm also not lazy. I love to walk everywhere, and I love to bike. Remember this bikeride? You couldn't pay me enough to do that again; it was probably the hardest thing I have done to push my body to its limit.

Watching all of these people running this marathon made me feel lazy, old and fat. Playing baseball this summer was cool, but I was also injured 75% of the time (pulled achilles [still bothers me], sore bum, sore hips, and pulled quads). Why was I injured all of the time? Because truthfully, I have let myself go. Too far. I'm still lighter than I was when I posted the 10k goal, but what's a few pounds when you feel like garbage? I wake up every morning feeling like I am 85 years old.

I'm setting a goal to run a 5k in the spring. I looked online for races, but they aren't posted yet for the new year. I'm hoping one will appear for March/April. That way I can run it and say that I actually finished a race. If I lose some pounds as a result of the training, that's cool. However, it's secondary to my main goal, which is to feel better in general. I will try to keep updating you on my progress to keep me motivated.

I read this quote recently and it struck a HUGE chord in me:

"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice."
Wayne Dyer