13.1

In recent years, The Mother has become more and more of a Runner. Not someone that jogs occasionally for cardiovascular exercise, but the type that will run miles and miles (sometimes over mountains or in the snow or with torn muscles and stress fractures) for the challenge and the rush of it. And this running bug is catching. I've been intermittently impersonating a runner myself for the last 2 years, though I have no insane aspirations of completing something as mind-numbingly long as a marathon (which is 26.2 miles and The Mother has already done TWO of them). I did, however, allow myself and Prince Charming to be talked into running a half-marathon, 13.1 miles, that took place on the Las Vegas strip this past weekend.

Ouch.

The intention The Mother had, when proposing this insane trip to us, was that a December race would keep us training in the typically off winter season. But due to the rigors of my job in San Francisco, the painfully hilly landscape and my lack of a gym membership - I sort of let that whole training idea slide for the last three months. When I left Bozeman in August I was probably in the best shape I've ever been in, but the last three months of a mostly sedentary lifestyle and way too many nights of Chinese delivery have put me quite far out of shape. But did I throw caution to the wind and finish that godawful half-marathon anyway?

Yes, yes I did.

The first 8 miles weren't so bad. Miles 9 and 10 started to hurt and I positively hit a wall at mile 11. But I finished the run, hand in hand with Prince Charming (who could have left me in the dust at any time with his damn natural athleticism). And I guess, in retrospect, it was actually fun. Yesterday, when I felt like an arthritic 95 year old was not so much fun, but I think if I were to actually train for the next half-marathon that I could survive it and maybe even enjoy running across that finish line. I think.

Lyrics of the Day

"We're running just as fast as we can, holding onto one another's hands." Tiffany I Think We're Alone Now