The Do Run, Run

So, I think I mentioned at some point this week I took up running. Isn’t that cool? I think so. I have never been a runner before and in one months time I already feel like I am in the club. About a month ago life was getting a little crazy around here. It was still cold outside, spring had not quite shown up yet, Schoolwork was looming large, and about 20 other personal and not so personal things were pressing in on all sides.

A good friend told me once that we all have dumpsters, some large and some small but once they are full- they are FULL and there is no other place for ‘junk’ to go . If we don’t empty it out, it’ll just spill over the top. I quite agree.

That’s about where I was one month ago. Some of the junk had come spilling over the top of my dumpster but thankfully a faithful husband, a wonderful friend, and some cooperative children helped me go forward. I was also battling the flu at the same time. And trying to lose those last 11 pounds ( now 9!!!!! But whose counting, oh right – I AM!) So when my dear friend said I should go lie down in bed and sleep I did exactly the opposite. Lacing on a pair of sneakers I grabbed my oldest son and headed  outdoors to the nearest track.

My game plan was this: For years every time I had been stressed out and experienced that fight or flight feeling, I stood up and fought. This time I decided to take the other option of flight instead and run like hell. All that nervous energy had to go somewhere I argued with myself- right? Might as well come out through my feet so it didn’t keep racing around in my head.

And so my goal was to begin running. Well let’s be totally honest here, I just started walking initially. I walked a few laps and then ran half a lap, and then walked again, and ran a quarter lap until I had completed one full mile. I was panting like a dehydrated St. Bernard when I finished, but remarkably I felt better. The next day I returned and did the same, only I ran one full lap (a quarter mile) and then walked. And so it went for one whole sick week. I ran while I coughed, and felt nauseous, and achy, and sore. The second week I added a quarter mile to my distance. By the end of the second week I also added an unlikely running partner- Fred.

This actually follows a marriage pattern for us. Here’s what it looks like:

• I have a baby
• Nurse the baby for 6-9 months,
• Turn into a misshapen blob of a woman
• Look into the mirror one day and gasp
• Decide I have to diet
• Begin losing weight
• Start exercising
• Have Fred watch me exercise for a whole week to make sure I am serious about it
• He then joins me in this new healthy routine
• We lose a truck load of weight
• We get pleasing to the eyes once more
• Soon after comes another baby

I am pretty positive the first and last pieces here are connected somehow, but Fred and I have never been able to figure that part out? Oh well. I am sure one of these days we’ll make the connection.

WARNING I FEEL A RANT COMING ON:

-At least lots of people always ask us those types of questions while we’re out. They’ll see us with all these kids and say “Are they all yours?” and we nod and smile and say “Yes” politely and they’ll say “You know how that happens don’t you?” and I keep my mouth closed and purse my lips tighter, nodding my head and grinning the whole time while I think to myself “Lady,are you for real? I have ten children and you’re asking me if I know how this happens? DO YOU? ARE YOU SURE??? Because, personally I cannot believe anyone would be as foolish and ill bred as to make a comment like that:

1. out loud
2.  in public 
3. to a perfect stranger
4. With little ones all around her

 Unless- they were a complete fool, and really didn't get how this happens,in which case you seem to not only have missed Biology 101, but also etiquette 102- and so maybe I do need to explain the birds and the bees to you M'am,- but I assure you Friendly’s is not the forum for it even if I am an obviously homeschooling Mom.

RANT OVER.

Anywho.

So I am up to 2 miles now! We have been heading to the gym and running 5 nights a week. I can run a full mile and a half now and walk the other half a mile as a cool down. I am absolutely loving it. I look forward to it all day. I am sleeping better, feeling better, thinking better and just plain ole happy. In fact I do my best writing while I run. I start a blog post in my head as I begin and the words follow. I arrange and rearrange as the miles tick off. Then when I get home I simply sit down and type it out. Voila! I kill 2 birds with one stone. ( did I ever mention that my mother in law - born and raised in Jamaica- still cannot grasp the meaning of sayings like these and usually butchers that one by saying she’s killed one bird with 2 stones, what a waste! Dear, Dear Angela...sigh.)

There is a small race next month in town its a 5k. If I continue to increase at this rate ( a quarter mile each week) I should be able to handle the distance just in time for it. I’ve never done that before so it might be a good challenge for me. Wish me luck!