Let The Races Begin!

Once I had been working out faithfully for about two years, I checked into a popular foot race, the Bolder Boulder. It is a 10K, (a bit over six miles), and even though I had never actually ran six miles without stopping, I had heard from friends that I wanted to try a race on and not be intimidated by other runners, this was the one to try out. Sure enough, the first Bolder Boulder I participated in was almost ten years ago, and I’ll never forget the instant relief as a couple of my running compares were wearing tutus, while still another fellow next to me had donned a diver’s mask, snorkel and fins! I knew I was going to have a great and even relaxing time! There was a different style of live band playing on mostly every corner, and on other corners, belly dancers, more tutu wearing ballerinas and every sort of runner and walker who were all there just for the experience of it! I was in heaven and so grateful that I didn’t have to be in an elite runner’s shape or that I had to compete against a bunch of serious elite runners or even joggers. We all went at our own pace, and it was the very best opening race experience I could have hoped for!

I’ve run, walked and jogged the Bolder Boulder in the past ten years every year except one, and have always felt so accomplished upon the completion. If you are at the place in your healthy lifestyle make over that you are looking for the next hurdle to jump through, begin asking around at your gym or at the local market, of an easy and fun foot race that you can try on. It is great for me to have a race to “train” for, and each year, I do a little extra cardio a few months prior to the Bolder Boulder just to get in a bit better shape. I’ve also done the Susan B. Komen Race of the Cure each year, almost every year, for the past six or so years. It is a three mile race that I also “train” for a few months prior and have been able to jog the entire race a couple of those times. I know that it may sound pretty lame of me, that I can’t jog the entire three miles, or that I take on the easiest and least competitive race I can find, but that is where I am in my life and I make no apologies for it. I just past my 48th year on this earth, and as I look in the mirror at myself, I do not think, “you really should do more,” or “you need to push yourself to get into even better shape.” Phooey on that notion! I do not have any of those sorts of noises chiming about in my brain. All I look at is how do I feel about myself? How good do I look to myself? Am I able to keep up with my precious two year old Grandson? What does the doc say at my annual checkup? (My last doctor told me I was almost the healthiest patient she had ever seen! So heck yeah, I have nothing to apologize for! I pat myself on the back throw myself an atta girl and keep on keeping on! I am a new creature, and I do not know that old girl!