Day 5 -- Went for my first run in 2011. Outside that is. Where it was freezing and the ends of my toes grew numb and started to ache and there were all these black icy patches on the ground that could have messed up my stride and make me wipe out on the asphalt. (it didn't, but still, it was kind of scary...okay, not really but I am going for the dramatic voice here.) Anyway, as I was running, I made my wonderful friend and running partner Lori do all the talking about her new job. Between the two of us, I am definitely the blabbermouth when it comes to talking while we are running but lately, I have not been running as much so I am a little out of shape. Today, I let her talk. The best thing for me right now is Lori's new job that she started a few months ago -- it gives her all sorts of stuff to say. So I just kick back and save my breath and every few minutes or so I go, really? wow, that's not right! Or a simple, muffled "huh" usually suffices for my part in the conversation.
But overall, I actually felt pretty good today. Even the wicked, nasty cramp I got on BOTH sides of my stomach after running up that long hill near the middle school eventually went away.
I definitely need to run more -- it burns up more calories than walking and now that I am on this goal to eat a cookie and chocolate along with my coffee and wine I am going to need the exercise. Ever since I hit my mid-forties, my weight has been slowly creeping up despite my valiant efforts to slap it down. And now I am getting my mother's belly -- the one that always terrified me when we went shopping together and I would end up stuck with her in the dressing room, waiting (patiently of course) while she tried on a new pair of jeans. I would sit in amazement, unable to turn away as she carefully put them on, fastened them and looked into the mirror. My mother was never and still isn't a large woman. But there was always this significant portion of her belly which just folded over the top of the pants like frosting sliding down the side of a cupcake. I would sit quietly overcome by a mixture of horror and awe as I watched her turn one way and then another in front of the dressing room mirror. "So," I would ask gently. "Those are a little tight, huh mom?" And she would look at me in shock. "Are you kidding? They feel great!" The amazing thing is that today, I know exactly how she felt. It's that "baby belly" that moms often get because our skin was stretched out repeatedly from carrying those kids of ours. And now we are stuck with this excess "baby belly" skin that really does kind of casually drape over the top of our jeans. I am not saying I like it. But it is what it is; I can't take it back. Those darn kids are here and my belly is stretched.
So back to running. One of the things I want to say about running is this -- I do not like to do it. I think people who run long distances are very, very odd. (No offense to certain friends, family members and um, husbands of friends.) With both of my parents suffering from intense forms of arthritis, I am fairly certain that I am destined for future joint pain so I know my running days are numbered. But for now, it is something that, when I am done, I am always so amazed I did. Mind you, I move practically at crawl speed but when we are standing near our cars afterward I always say (in my head cuz Lori is still talking), hey girl, you finished your run; good for you. It's a nice moment in the day. Not as good as curling up on the couch with a glass of wine but hey, it's close.
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