i've been counting down since last Dec 26 ... are you ready? me neither!!

Friday, September 5, 2008

i'm going to run a 5k ... just not today!

when i boasted that i would run a 5k and even touted that i would do it faster than some other people ... i was delusional.

case in point:

i sometimes think that those cute-as-a-button girls on the treadmill that jog/run for 30-45-60 minutes have nothing on me and that we might be twins if i didn't have boobs and my hair was blonde.

example #2

i have mentioned before that when i watch movies with jennifer garner or kate hudson or meg ryan or drew barrymore or [insert any other adorable and small actresses name here] in them, i will pretend that andy is the leading man [ie: matthew mcconaughey, mark ruffalo, tom hanks, michael vartan, etc.] and we are actually living in that story that is unfolding ... and i'm actually that petite.

example #3

occasionally i'm surprised by the sheer girth that is my back-side when i happen to see a picture/walk past a mirror and think to myself, invasion of the body snatchers!!

example #4

i have said for years that 'i will only run if someone is chasing me with a knife!' {which now that i think about it ... is not that bad of a policy}

reality check


a person that hasn't jogged/run/anything on the treadmill in several weeks should not ... under any circumstances ... try to/think they can/actually do any running and/or jogging on said treadmill for any length of time after only warming up for 7.5 minutes. that person should work up to a run after 2 or more weeks of walking at a 3.5-4.5 and even then only for short spurts in order to guarantee that she won't be too sore to move in the subsequent days. that person should also remember that stretching and drinking water are essential to survival after the aforementioned treadmill use.

so ... you may have gathered that i have run headlong into soreness/painful joints/aching neck after a foolish attempt at running for 15 minutes!! my music was superb, my adrenaline was pumping and that little voice in my head that said "maybe this is too much too soon" was being drowned by my 'i still got it' pride. and if day 1 wasn't enough to put me in traction... i had the arrogance to tell myself - this is the good kinda hurt that means you're finally working those muscles that have been laying dormant for many many years. i waddled myself back up the stairs to the weight room and climbed back up on that treadmill and winced and grimaced my way through another 40 minutes. it's a good thing i had the presence of mind to attend my yoga classes and get some great stretching in ... so that i could recognize that the parts of me that are in pain ... are not in fact my muscles - but my joints. the same joints that have not been jounced and jostled and jerked and jarred and what ever other j word you can think of that means jolted around in too many years! i have been avoiding going upstairs for fear of having to come down, i've been walking like an old woman in need of hip replacement, i've been putting on my strong face while i walk to pick up the girls hoping that no one notices my waddle.

i'm pathetic.

it's just sad.

and so ... my short-lived alter-ego alter-reality has come to a screeching, albeit sensitive and a little bit tender, halt - for now - until i lose 20-30lbs ... then maybe/possibly/perhaps i'll try running again. stay tuned. i'll still be briskly and vigorously walking the pumpkin push come october 25th.

12 comments:

Lisa Swendsen said...

Again, you cracked me up. Love your writing!

Colleen said...

**still laughing** I went to this aerobics class recently that I was so cocky about because I had been doing a lot of running and TOTALLY damaged myself. It wasn't that I was scared to walk back down the stairs for fear of the pain, I JUST COULDN'T!! My muscles would absolutely not allow it. So I am totally with you girl! You are awesome, I am so proud of you for working so hard!! It's not about looking like those impossibly tiny actresses, hello, they have endless hours to work out and personal trainers to tell them how to do it, it is about feeling good about you as you are. And no matter what the scale says, when I I am working at it, it is hard to feel badly about how I look. Wish I could do the pumpkin push with you! You go girlfriend!

jennycooks said...

Em, itsallgood. The good news is, you can fully loose the poundage by walking, until you are up to running again! Call me sista and I will share my tips. And by the way, you totaly still got it, even if you are not at the place you want to be, especially in comparison to the cute hollywood types - do any of them even have ONE child?! Yeah, you totaly still got it, and I am so proud of you for sticking with the workouts. I am convinced we all will be sexy again.

Kedra Simpson said...

Girl you make me laugh so hard!! You can definitely do the run!!!

The Nedrys said...

Seriously, I LOVE YOU!

tricki_nicki said...

Hahaha! Ho ho, hoooo! "we might be twins if i didn't have boobs and my hair was blonde". Oh man.

Super Angie Супер Энджи said...

Em...you are awesome! Keep at it...

Julie Tegeder said...

I'll run/walk a 5 km with you!! Slow and steady wins the race.

Kristen said...

You are hilarious as usual. Don't be too hard on yourself. If I had a personal trainer, a personal chef and oodles of personal time, yeah (maybe) I would look like a super-tiny actress. But I don't. I just decided on Friday morning to go running. I did my usual run (meaning, my route that I used to run when I was in shape), and I really did some damage to my muscles. Looks like I need to work at it too. keep it up!

Mrs. James Quigley said...

Oh my gosh, last week my bum and legs hurt for the WHOLE week just from doing a few squats and lunges. I am in sad shape. James and I ran for a minute and he had to pull me. Don't tell James but I might be walking with you!!! Love you and I am so proud of you!

Anonymous said...

OK too funny, because I always see girls running down the street and I think "I could/should do that" Maybe I will tomorrow!!

Jennalee said...

you can do it!!! but beware...go lose the 30ish pounds and YOU might get a little surprise like I have!