Dedicated to My Run

This morning I knew that I needed get in my first day of my Couch to 5K training. However, yesterday, one of best friends from college came in town to visit me for the Labor Day holiday weekend. We jumped in the car with my Big Little Sister, my other BFF and my friend from childhood and took a girl’s day trip Lambert’s Restaurant, also known as the Home of the Throwed Rolls. They actually throw the hot rolls and you catch them. I wasn’t paying attention, and one nailed me right in the face! I jokingly told everybody that I was going to get a black eye.  It wasn’t really that bad, but it did sting to have the warm carb loaded loaf miss my sister’s grasp and land on my face instead.  We had a ton of fun, and laughs, ate too much, and didn’t get back to St. Louis until almost midnight.

All day long, I had been grateful for the fun times with my friends, but also antsy that I missed the very first day of training. I knew that I had to get in my run. I got up on Sunday and did a load a laundry and told my friend, I’m going to the gym, with or without you, and I’m going to church with or without you.  She opted out of both. I put my Nike+ tracker in my new shoes, charged up my iPod, got my waist trimmer band, put on workout clothes and filled my bottle of water. I was so ready! Although my feet were kind of swollen, my throat was a little sore, and I had to leave my friend at home with Nyah, I was on a mission. It was raining, so I went to the YMCA where I could run on the treadmill indoors. When I went inside, the front desk was dark. The security guy, was like, “oh sorry Honey, we don’t open ’till noon.” I was so distraught. How could this be? It was a little after 10 am, and I had be at church at 12:30. I didn’t want this to be an excuse not to train. I considered just running outside in the rain. But, I’m sorry, I’m just not “there” yet. I could’ve gone back home and danced with the Xbox Kinect, or walked the stairs, but I really wanted to run. I said to myself, this can’t be the only gym in St. Louis. My Gym Cousin goes to a gym not too far away. So, I went back home, grabbed my ID and credit card, and went to Club Fitness and signed up to become a member, just so I could run today. I was so committed to my run! The gym staff lady could tell I was in a hurry, and she asked “Did you want a tour, or just to work out?” I saw treadmills, which was all I really needed, but I took the tour anyway since I had essentially rushed through all the paperwork. It was a totally different vibe than the YMCA, which is very family oriented. Club Fitness was younger people trying to stay fit and in shape. There were sexy men, over in the free weights section and REAL runners on the treadmill. The men were nice eye candy, and I used the skinny ladies running on the treadmill as motivation instead of intimidation.  And the membership is super cheap, only $10/month and better hours than the YMCA.

I got on the treadmill and finally ran Day 1 of Week 1 of the Couch to 5K training plan. I didn’t do a light jog, I really ran hard, like at a 6 speed, which is equivalent to a 10 minute mile. I could not run all of the designated intervals, but I think I did 4 of them. When I finished, I was pouring and dripping sweat, and it felt great to be 100% committed to my run! I rushed back home and showered, and threw on the wrap dress I had already laid out, all in about 15 minutes. I made it church about 10 minutes late, so I missed some of the praise and worship music. But, the pastor continued his series on having a vision for your life. “What you say, is what you will see, and ultimately what you will be.” I said I was running with day one no matter what, I saw no excuses, and I did it!