Act Like A Tennis Shoe...

I've signed on with my family to do the Wasatch Back Relay Race in June. It's a 183 mile race that happens over a course of 24 to 30 hours with 2 groups, 2 vans... 12 people total. Each person has 3 legs to run. Once the first van finishes the 6 legs, van 2 takes over. In that time we try to get some rest and eat, etc. Repeat two more times. My uncle and my work has done this for the last two years. My cousin Kara did it last year and had a lot of fun. Somehow we all got talked into it this year. I think our van name should be "I Have Made A HUGE Mistake". lol. Nevertheless, I'm actually looking forward to this challenge. I need something new to do and I need a goal to look to so I can keep losing weight and get in good shape. I'm excited right?! YEAH! Until...

Last night I made it to the gym, determined to see where I was at my fitness level in running. I wanted to see how many minute miles I could do. Granted, I'm not in the greatest shape EVER, but I'm in a better shape than I've been in years. I mean to say, in the fat loss portion but not in the cardio portion just yet. So I make it to the gym, I stretch out my legs, put my earphones on and get my ipod in place and turned on and just get myself in a good running mode.

I look forward, stand up straight and start to envision the road, and off I go. Only I see all these gym goers... a couple holding hands going from machine to machine, (say what?!) guys lifting weights in footflops, (I hope you drop a dumbbell on your foot) cougar moms wearing tank tops that show off their fake boobs and awesome abs, (can that really happen at that age?! Amazing! and I'm just jealous of their boobs since I've lost some of mine) I've gone off on a tangent. Really, in the middle of that all, I'm envisioning the pavement.... and I start to get into my groove. I'm not cruising at an awesome pace, but I'm doing pretty decent or so I thought. I start to pant, and breathe a little hard and I look down, 7 and a half minutes into it... I've only gone .65 miles. DISHEARTENING!!! I felt like a big fat blob that couldn't get very far, trying to run next to this little Provo "all-star" girl in skin tight pants and a tank top running effortlessly, hardly breathing at all. Grrrr. Yeah maybe I'm like THIS lady... SCARY!



Yeah, I don't want to be a "slow, fat triathlete". Not my dream no no. But I was so discouraged and freaked out let me tell you. I have, have, HAVE to get an 11 minute mile AT LEAST to run this Ragnar Race. And I want to be able to do a good job and do good for my team. Granted, I'm not a Marathon runner or a Cross Country runner. (HAHAHAH that's funny) but I'd like to be able to run a decent mile and be proud of myself when this time comes and is over and done with. I'm thinking all sorts of things, "I'm screwed!" "I've made a huge mistake" "Oh crap, what am I gonna do?!" "What can I do to get this pathetic bazillion minute mile down to 11?" I just let it go, and thought, "Okay, this is obviously going to be a process... I will just start preparing now and have a good attitude about this." Guess I'm gonna have to act like a tennis shoe, and "JUST DO IT!"

Here goes. Ü