Given to Fly

I think Rob Lowe is helping me train for my Half Marathon. This week, I bought the Nike-Plus-iPod-thingamajig to help me train for it. I had read mixed reviews about it. For very serious runners, a GPS watch might be better. Since I’m just really starting my running ‘career’, the iPod gadget was perfect for me. I do need to calibrate it since there is no way on God’s green earth I’m chugging a 9:48 mile at 5:30am. When setting up my new toy, I chose the male voice. For whatever reason, I always trend towards the male trainer. On my Wii fitness games, my trainers are 95% male (except for Biggest Loser – I cannot cheat on Jillian). Now while I’m running, I envision a little bubble with Rob Lowe speaking to me over my head – telling me I have only 200 meters to go.


I have to say that despite it’s knack for clocking me much faster than I am, I really like Nike Plus. It’s nice to have a virtual view of your run. I created a little Mini-me that looks more like my daughter than me. I have fun watching her jump around excited for a good run. We’ll see how I feel about it once I calibrate it more to my running ability. I don’t think it’s off more than 30 seconds – but for now I am enjoying being Speedy Gonzales.


Okay, back to that half marathon thing. I will admit that I am totally ill-prepared for this undertaking. Most training programs for beginners are 12 weeks. I made the decision to do one with 5 weeks to go. Even as I hit the ‘submit’ button on the registration, I thought to myself – Good God woman – what are you doing?? I’ve never been an overly ambitious person. This is why I have a job, not a career. It doesn’t mean I haven’t dreamed about the day that work would leave me feeling fulfilled. I considered meteorology, psychology, writing, and even the less flashy computer programming. Three of those options would take school and money. And once I matriculated – it wouldn’t guarantee a job that would afford me my lush lifestyle of paying bills and having a wee bit money left over. While I was single, I poured myself into writing. That was something I could do after my job and kept my lonely mind busy. I’ve been starting stories since I was 8. I have yet to finish one. Starting them – wonderful. I’m filled with possibility and life. Then I spin a simple story into an epic Lord of the Rings trilogy before I get the first chapter done. I still enjoy writing but it is not conducive to my lifestyle. To really get going, you need 4 hours to set aside without interruption. I have a husband and little girl. I need to workout at least 5-6 times a week or I will be living in maternity clothes. This does not mean I will never finish a chapter or a thought. I just don’t see it happening this week.


So running – I started it for weight loss. I started it late in life – 34. I restarted it after my daughter was 8 months old – I was now 37 and 35 pounds over my pre-Grace weight. I decided to register for my first 5K at 38. Before I go off on another tangent – what I like about running and racing – is that there is a beginning and an end. The task of going back to school or writing a book seems so infinite. There is no end in sight. Running a race is finite. And it gives me a feeling that I had been chasing for years but was always elusive – accomplishment. I’m good at following through on the little day-today things. However something larger, not so much. I’m happy to be happy – to not push beyond my comfort zone. Running replaces that complacency with ambition and competitive nature. Those are 2 words I would have never put near me. I haven’t given up going back to school. I am thinking about something do with fitness and nutrition. And I’ll never give up writing. I may pare down that 16 volume epic story though. I’ll start with a blog.


I run to be healthy. I run to be sane. I run to give Grace a well-balanced mommy. I run to be fit for my husband and inspire him – hopefully. I run to show everyone that you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Given to Fly - Pearl Jam