Baby Steps

It's Saturday.  I got up this morning at 5:30 on purpose. 

My friend, Julie, mentioned that she would like to train for a 5k.  I've told you about Julie before.  I like to call her The Incredible Shrinking Woman.  She's lost almost 60 pounds over the last year.  She's pretty amazing.  Now, it may seem a little silly to some of you fitness types to TRAIN for a 3.something mile run, but for those of who have the endurance level of an 80 year old woman on a walker, training seems like a good idea.  I'm so proud of her for getting this far with her weight loss, and for helping me kick start mine, I took her up on the 5k idea.

So, we met this morning at 6 am to go to running class.  Sleep is overrated anyway, right?  As we drove over in the predawn darkness, my hand resting on my thigh suddenly felt the giant gaping hole in my windshorts.  Oh isn't that special!  The good news is that it's along my inner thigh so it's unlikely that anyone will see it, but I will know it's there.  I'm already wearing my ghetto sneakers.  Sigh.  Oh well. 

When we got to Luke's there were cars everywhere. Where was everyone?  The store was deserted except for one lone little fit chick who checked us in.  A box held all the keys to the cars outside.  "Oh everyone's out running," she chirped.  I looked at her quizzically.  Were we late?  She quickly explained that they have several groups--there is a marathon next week in Chicago, another somewhere else, etc.  Ah, I see.  I checked my watch again.  Yep...it's 6:30.  These marathon people were long gone.  I wondered just how early they had started today and shuddered at the thought. 

Our fellow group members trickled in, apprehensive beginners just like Julie and me not knowing what to expect.  At seven they got us warmed up and then broke us into three groups....walkers, run-walkers, and runners.  Wanna guess where I fit in? 

Uh, if you thought I was going to run today you haven't learned a thing about me since you started reading these pages, people!  Julie and opted for walking today and met a lovely young woman who also started sensibly by walking.   Baby steps here, right?  The idea is to be running by the time we are finished in nine weeks!  And we will!  Stay tuned!  Brian is taking me today to get shorts without blowouts and nice shoes.  Maybe even a cool watch.  So I need to go take my shower now.