This is Going to Sound Crazy

Anyone who knows me knows that I hate running. Hate. Abhor. It. It’s from the devil. Running as part of conditioning was the worst part of playing Jr. High and HS volleyball (it was also the worst part of Jr. High track, which I to this day do not know why I did. Oh wait. It probably had something to do with friends and/or boys.).

So brace yourself, especially you, Hayley: I’m training for a 5k.

And I hope that blogging about it makes me more accountable to actually be able to achieve my goal. Because we all know how well I did with that washing-my-face-every-night resolution.

Hayley completed a half-marathon a few weeks ago, and immediately told me that she was doing the All-Star 5k in July and asked who wanted to do it with her. I told her no, because, as I said, running is stupid. But, the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a not-horrible idea. I’m not getting any younger – in fact, right before the run I’ll turn 32 – so if I’m ever going to do anything like this, now’s the time. Nevermind I’m a bridesmaid on August 1, and it wouldn’t kill me to lose a few pounds.

Also, I hate to be left out of things, and my brother Zach said he’d run with her. I told Zach to invite our other brother, Jake (whose wife, Dana, is also going to run with us). Peer pressure + fear of exclusion + me, firstborn child = IT’S ON.

So, I’m using the “Couch to 5k” program that many of my online and real-life friends have done, and I’m on week 2. I’ve downloaded the podcasts so I don’t have to time myself on the intervals, which is great, but I’m looking forward to being able to run/walk to my own choice of music. However, I don’t think I could have done this without the podcast – seriously, running and timing 60 second intervals on a stopwatch? I’d like to think that my 14 or so years of dance would mean that I am graceful and agile all the time, but I’m pretty sure I’d run into something if I was doing that.

For your reading enjoyment, I’ll post my journal from the first week of running in the next couple of days. I know that someday, I’ll think it’s funny to be able to read what I was thinking.

I truly hope to be posting a picture of me and all of my siblings and Dana in mid-July after completing the race!

photographic evidence that i did, in fact sweat (and therefore, must have been running). also, the only time you'll ever see a picture of me on this blog sans makeup.