running

alright, so those of you that know me (well)...know that i have not always been into running, or physical activity of any sort for that matter. i played soccer in high school, but really wasn't in the best shape...i actually probably could've been much better. (i had the skills down, but the stamina not so much.) when i went off to college...i didn't gain the freshman 15, i gained the freshman 40. (i am not joking, i literally gained 40 lbs in 3 months...it was pretty awesome.) apparently drinking a case of natty ice and eating ravioli out of can every night wasn't healthy. (who knew?) my super skinny roommate also packed on the pounds... turns out i was an awesome influence. i think one of the best stories from that time was when i went home one weekend and came back with a case of slim fast. as i unpacked the cans into the mini fridge, my roommate lost her shit laughing and was like...are you serious? i was very serious. (well, sorta.) and so, i had a shake WITH breakfast, a shake WITH lunch, and a shake WITH dinner. (yes, with.) i didn't realize that they were meal "replacements". i thought that if you drank them WITH your meals, the fat would just melt away. that being said, i think i gained an extra 10 lbs on the slim fast diet. (i should've been a spokes model for the shit.) anyway, shortly after i came home my sophomore year for the summer, i started working out and eating things off of a plate rather than out of a can. (i also switched to light beer.)

moreover, it wasn't until ella was almost 1 that i got a jogging stroller off of craigslist and started running with her and the dog after work each day. it started as something that i needed to do for myself...even though i had a toddler and dog along with me. after you have a kid, i feel like you kinda lose a part of yourself and you turn into mommy and forget the woman part. (and the sanity part) running brought that back a little bit. i am to the point now, where i actually enjoy running. i look forward to it. (i still feel like i'm going to die half the time, and still look like wounded animal while going up a hill...but it feels good to sweat.) i enjoy listening to good music while running, too. however, my playlist would make your head spin...one minute i'm wishing i was the farmers daughter with rodney atkins and the next minute i'm smoking a fatty with biggie and tupac. (hot mess of a music selection.) running is also a good way to relieve tension, clear my head, and is a bit of an escape for me. (especially when your kid is crapping on the floor and your husband is scared by it...) also, if you think you don't have enough time to do it...know that you have to make time. i could easily use that excuse any day of the week. (these days, i fit it in between feedings and changing shitty diapers.)

i've also noticed that people who run form a bit of a cult, kinda like the motherhood cult i've spoken about. i will not be drinking purple koolaid with these people, but they motivate me and i like that. my husband still cannot figure out why i enjoy it and looks at me like a grew a third breast when i tell him i'm heading out the door for a run.  today i also chose to do some free weights in the bedroom after i came home and he walked up the stairs and said, "easy arnold" and proceeded to quote schwarzenegger (complete with aussie accent) "i'm going to pump. you. UP!" (he yelled this at me, loudly, and then proceeded to laugh his head off.) he's been complaining how tired he is all the time, and i told him that i'd feel like a tired tub of goo, too, if i laid on the couch scratching my private parts, playing games on my phone all day. he laughed...but that didn't motivate him to lace up his sneakers.

and so, 4 weeks post baby, i'm feeling pretty good. however, one thing that is kind of a nuisance when running (that never was a problem before) is my rack. (it's huge.) you know the opening scene from baywatch where pam anderson is running on the beach...cans flappin' in the breeze? i look nothing like her (except the boobs)...but i do know that she is a good actress in that instance, because it actually hurts. i'm strapped down like a breastfeeding mummy and i'm still cringing. her smile on that beach had to be totally fake. (almost as fake as her fun bags.) anyway, i'm still not down to my fighting weight, but it's in my sights. (i can almost see it with a telescope.) i'm not looking to be a skinny waif, i've already stated before that i enjoy food and beer too much for that to happen. however, i don't want to be 40 lbs overweight chugging slim fast, either. (running is both a mental and physical thing for me...and i'm assuming all the others that run, too.) if you are a fellow runner...thanks for the motivation and letting me be a part of your cult. if you think i'm bat shit crazy for running, i'm telling you that you should try it. (hell, i think you should try anything at least once...) endorphins are no joke, people. get moving...and try not to look like a wounded animal when doing so.

"to get the finish line, you'll have to try lots of different paths." -amby burfoot