So, What's the point anyway?

     A couple weeks ago, I ran my first 6k. Now, this is a big deal for me, considering all through high school I consistently made fun of runners. As far as my best friend and I were concerned, if a person was running down the street, he might as well have been wearing a sign that said, "Make fun of me, I'm running".
      "DAAAAA!! Look at that runner! Look at him running with his biceps and stuff. He thinks he's so fit. Te he he he."
      It may not seem funny to you, but we were always laughing pretty hard.

    And then I married a runner. Never thought I'd do that. Let's just say, we wouldn't have been friends in high school. "So you think your all big and bad 'cause you run huh?" Is what I would have said with my mind.

    Daniel didn't run when we were getting to know each other or when we were engaged. But after we got married, he was ready to get his shoes back on, and I saw it as a way to spend time with him. So I would jog with him down the street, stop at the corner, try to catch my breath, and try to remember the last time I smoked, "I'm not a smoker. I must be though because I can't breath" and he would be looking at that dumb running watch saying, "We've only run a minute, you got to keep going." As if.

    I kept up with running and got semi better. I ran a 5k when I was pregnant with my first daughter, took a break, and then after I had Monique, I ran in the L.A. marathon. (THAT is another story. If you think I finished, you think wrong.)

    I picked up running again after I had Athena (my last baby). Daniel was working at a running store. As is turns out, he found great enjoyment out of buying his very pregnant wife running clothes. Why? Oh the guilt. Now I HAVE to run. He made a deal with me that I'd get a dollar for every mile I ran. Cheap? Yes. But hey, it totally worked.

    Then he told me about a 6k near my parents' house and I figured why not? We'd have babysitters, and I am already running 2-3 miles everyday anyway. So we signed up for it.

    The night before the race, Daniel asked, "So are you going to run fast?" What? Yes, I had signed up for a race, but running fast had never ever occurred to me.

    "Um...no...I was just going to run." Oh yeah, I had signed up for a race...why did I think this was going to be relaxing?

     "No, Arisa, when you run in a race, you are supposed to push yourself and see what your best time is".

     That sounds like, a terrible idea. Someone should have told me that,  before we paid.

     The morning of the race, we wake up early (which I actively avoid) grab a banana and go. We get there, get signed in and Daniel tells me, "Okay, so I want you to do 9 minute miles, k?"

     "Yeah, sure." In one ear and out the other that went. Dude, I spend every day of my life trying to keep a house in respectable order, keep a massive dog semi-tame and keep three midgets alive. Running 9 minute miles is THE LAST THING I'm thinking about. This was supposed to be fun. Almost sure this was supposed to be fun.

    The worst part of the race was that half of it was up hill. UP HILL. I tried not to laugh when the guy in front of me grabbed his buttocks. Sore there buddy? Should have worked on that stair master. But I listened to Daniel who also told me to just be in tune with my body, pushed myself, and surprisingly kept up a pretty steady pace.

     The race went out two miles, and then had us turn around and double back. Two miles in I see Daniel coming up in the lead. Just as he is about to pass me, I try to whack him in the butt and he tried to give me a high five. (Note to self: in races you give high fives, not butt whacks.) But clearly I was trying to say "You are hott" not "Good effort chump".

    It was downhill on the way back to the finish line, but it didn't matter, cause I was dying. A mile away from the finish line I realized, "Why am I doing this to myself?!?! I'm going to Disneyland tomorrow and I'm going to be so sore!" Thankfully, Daniel ran back to find me. "This is stupid" I told him. Deep emotion and emphasis on "stupid".

   "You are at the end. Give it all you got."

    So without even thinking, I took off (where did that energy come from) to try and catch this lanky girl I had a vendetta against because she had the audacity to pass me. As soon as she saw me, she took off, and I didn't have a chance. I crossed the finish line so frustrated and pretty sure I was going to throw up.

    Unfortunately, I'm really competitive, so I had a lot of fun. Lame, I know. Daniel told me not to worry about that girl beating me, since her legs went up to my ears, and I ran 9 minute pace, which he wanted me to do, so he was super proud of me. It ended up being a really fun date for both of us. We ate gigantic bagels and fruit. He got first place (came in four minutes before the guy who got second) and I got second place in my age group!!! Who knew, right?

   I'm starting to appreciate running, because I sleep so great at night, and have so much more long lasting energy during the day, which makes the sacrifice of running so worth it. I hope I don't give it up again! Maybe more cute running clothes would help...

   After our race, they gave us hats instead of medals because we placed. I love that! I can use a hat! We don't need more medals. Btw: I always grow a little tummy when I run. How is that even fair?!

   This past weekend, it rained and we had a crazy cold front. Daniel mentioned, the way I mention he needs to buy bananas at the store, that he was going to wake up at 5am on Saturday, and run up a mountain by our house to the snow. I didn't argue with him because, are you ready for this? That is how he gets his kicks. I know, I mean, I'd rather sleep in on a cold Saturday morning, but hey, if you want to run up a mountain, then how can I come between him and that dream? Round trip he ran 15.3 miles covering 3,500 feet of climbing. That's amazing! I would love to be able to do that, but, no. I don't think I'm being negative when I say, I do not have the ability to achieve that! Check out these spectacular pictures he took.

Our home is near the middle of this photo. Love the snow in contrast to the green valley. 

Just him and the coyotes. 

 

This is my favorite. It reminds me of 'The Road Not Taken' by Frost, which is our poem. 

That is so amazing! Seriously, I would love to do a trail run. Maybe in twenty years when I have time to get in shape.