Thursday, July 1, 2010

How I Became a Runner

Remember that I'm not a runner? Not. At. All. How many times have I mocked runners on this here blog? What are you all running from? Where are you going? I'll give you a ride, etc.

Wanna motivate me? Tell me I can't. Tell me "No". Like my two year old, it just makes me want to do it more. My body. The midwives. No, no, no. And suddenly I'm  Jackie Joyner Kersee all ready to hit the track.

I had started training to run a half marathon a few months before I found out I was pregnant. After hurling in the bushes two mornings in a row, I decided I wasn't that dedicated to the cause and took a break- citing pregnancy as my excuse not to get up at the butt crack of dawn. As I grew, as he grew, I got to the point where I don't think I could have had I wanted to. Suddenly, I was two weeks post-partum and still looked five months pregnant. Things (my gut) didn't just spring back to where they were before like I'd hoped. Twenty pounds heavier and I got all itchy to run.

Then the midwives said no. They kept me in check with threats of incontinence and my uterus falling out. That would not be good. What if by some chance we decide we might try to use it again?

Six weeks ago, this cute creature was inside me. I try to keep that in mind and cut myself some slack for why my tummy is jiggling in ways in never has before, but... I'm not okay with jiggling. Up top- yes. Down low- no.

Monday I celebrated six weeks post partum by buttoning some "Before baby" jeans. This lasted all of two minutes before the seams screamed a great big "Hell no!"

That's it.

That was the last "no" I needed and suddenly I'm all Gung-ho about training at ten thirty at night- trading sleep for a moonlit run.  What the...?

My I-pod was definitely not prepared for running. The first song that came on being Queen's 'Fat Bottom Girls'.

My body? Even less. As I hit the pavement with Jed in tow and everything inside cried, "Noooo!" I said, "Haaaeeeell YESsss!" And I'm off to download some Black Eyed Peas.

That's how I became a Runner.

I'll see you in October at the Long Beach Marathon.

4 comments:

grandma/mom said...

Good for you! If your uterus is going to fall out it will whether you run or not!

Angela said...

half marathon. . . Wow, we're just working on 5K here! Go girl, go! We can commiserate on the sore muscles and disappearing gut (yours anyway heh) . . .

Shane & Amy said...

I'm going to load that song from Queen onto my selection and see if it doesn't motivate me to get my butt outside running! Thanks for the laugh this morning.

cambridgeclan said...

Have fun with that. I just went and bought bigger clothes:) The more kids I have the more I take the stance that it took 9 months to get this way, it will probably take me nine months to get back. A brisk walk sure sounds refreshing though.

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