Celebration

At the end of June, my friend Jaime asked me if I would start running with her. She was training for a 5K in September and wanted a running buddy. I had put off exercising and eating better for a LONG time! I knew I wanted to make some changes in my life, but didn't think it would involve running. I HATED running... or I have always hated it in the past. A little scared and a lot reluctant, I agreed. We started "training" (1 minute of running and 3 minutes of walking, alternated until we hit 3 miles) in her neighborhood, 3 days a week. I was SHOCKED at how little I could do. That first minute of running was terrible and torturous. I felt jiggling in parts of my body I didn't know existed. It was embarrassing and hard.

I persisted and kept training with her, until her schedule changed and she wouldn't be able to run with me in the mornings any more. I decided I would start using the little workout room in our neighborhood club house. We were paying for it... I might as well use it. So I started running on the treadmill 3-5 times a week.

In the meantime, I also joined a blog weight loss competition, "Battle of the Bulge 2009", created by Melanie (cousin-in-law) and friend. The competition was to last 2 months. All who joined posted a "Before" picture, blogged about their goals and also posted a picture of their feet on the scale with their beginning weight. --The first post was the hardest. --Each Saturday, we would weigh-in by posting a scale picture and blog about how our week went and how much weight we lost or gained. This became a tool that kept me in check and created accountability.

As September approached, I heard rumblings of the St. Luke's Women's Celebration Run. I had always wanted to participate, but never had. Insecurities and doubt were probably the bottom-line. When I had thought about participating in the past, it wasn't to run, but to maybe walk it. This year, I had a new thought, "Maybe I COULD try and run it." I had been running more now, than ever before in my life. My treadmill work-outs switched from timed runs to how much and how fast could I run 3.2 miles (5K). I was supposed to be able to complete the course in 35 minutes. I made that my focus. Initially I completed it in about 50 minutes. Yikes, I had a ways to go.

Amber and I finally committed and signed up for the run. The week of, I was running 3.2 miles in about 44-45 minutes. Not the required 35 minutes, but getting closer. Amber assured me they wouldn't kick me out or make a public example of me, so we proceeded.

Friday, Amber and I joined the celebration downtown, to pick-up our numbers and t-shirts.

Sweet Daisylyn

We cruised the isles of booths and snacked on samples. The Boise Police Department's bagpipe group was playing as we walked through.

Then Amber saw Jared... you know, the Subway guy.

We had missed his speech earlier that evening, but caught up with him at the Subway booth. Amber said, "You should ask if you can take a picture with him." No thanks, I was too nervous. I saw him signing autographs, so decided I COULD do that. I got his autograph, but Amber kept persisting that I get a picture taken with him. I didn't want to ask. Finally she said, "Ok, just stand there, with him in the background... pretend you're in the picture with him." So I did. I felt so goofy I finally decided just to ask him. When I approached, I spoke gibberish and was surprised that he understood that I wanted a picture with him. (I could barely understand myself.) He seemed like a nice, normal guy. ---I don't know why I was so nervous. It's not like he's my idle. I think it was that I didn't want to bug him or make him take a picture with a total stranger. But I guess he's probably quite used to that by now.

Race number? Check.
T-shirt? Check.
Timing chip? Check.

I was ready to run my first 5K!!!