Run for the Roses

Well, I did it.  I Ran for the Roses, baby.  My brother, David and my sweet Kim were there with me.  Of course, my very fit brother left me in the dust, but that's ok.  As Kim says, "No matter how slow I am, I'm faster than my couch."  That's the sign she and her husband hold up for her daughter at her triathalons.  And if that's not a tee shirt, it ought to be.

I didn't dread going to this one like I did the Jingle Bell Run, so I must actually be sucked in to this whole thing for real.  The Jingle Bell made me so nervous because as a perfectionist, I want to do beautifully and it's taken me awhile to understand that getting off the couch and on the road is the biggest part.  The rest is really just gravy.

I wasn't nervous this time and I had a goal--My wish on my shooting star a few days ago. 

And it came true.  I can share it with you now.  I wanted to do better than the Jingle Bell time of 50 minutes.  Today was really hard.  It was so cold and I was sure there was no way that I could make it come true. I hadn't taken the time to eat anything this morning, so I had no energy, but I also had nothing to regurgitate if it came to that.  I did better with my stretching but I did it a little early.  I'm learning.  I'm learning. 

As bad I felt, Kim was keeping time on her watch and we had 15 minute miles for the first two. I couldn't believe it.  But in the last two tenths or so I just wanted to sit down and cry I hurt so bad.  But ever persistent, even as gentle as she is, Kim insisted that we were going to run across the finish line. 

Her husband finished quite a bit ahead of us (of course) and was there taking pictures of us.  He went with us down to the finish as an extra cheerleader. 

I was disappointed that it seemed my time wouldn't improve, but I would finish another race.  I didn't spend my first Saturday of Christmas vacation on the couch.

Kim picked up our pace and we started to run to the finish.  "You see that clock?"  "No," I whined.  "Well, I do!"  Kim sang out.  I looked closer at the finish line.  It said 46 minutes and something.  I blinked my eyes.  Couldn't be.  I looked again.  It changed to 47 minutes.  Holy snickerdoodles!  I was going to make it!!  And I was going to be running when I did it!!

When I hit the finish line, the clock was just over 48 minutes.  That means the chip on my shoe should show 47 something since I was about 20 seconds or so behind the starters of the race. 

I did it.  My shooting star gave me my wish.  I gave me my wish.  My next race is in a few weeks.  It's the Jiggle Butt on January 7.  It's for girls only and Julie and I are pretty excited about it. 

When I got home, Brian took my number and put it on the refrigerator next to my Jingle Bell number.  I didn't think of myself as a runner until today.  A runner--just a slow one. Well, maybe still a wogger.  But that's ok by me.  I'm still faster than my couch.

I'm looking forward to the next 9 to 5 at Luke's in January.  I'll actually miss the first meeting because of the Jiggle Butt Run.  I don't know where this wogging adventure will take me next , but so far I like where I've been.