I have to admit I am not a professional runner. I don't break the tape as the first woman in the races I run and I am relatively new to the sport. Soon to cross 1,000 miles a secret milestone I have coveted since I got serious about running this year. My husband would laugh because prior to 20 months ago when he asked me to run with him my usual answer was "why would I run...no one is chasing me." Then I realized as a 41 year old woman at the time something not someone was chasing me...middle age.
You can convince yourself with the best hair dye and most expensive eye cream that you will be young forever. But the reality is what you see in the mirror everyday is Newton's dream come true... living proof gravity exists and it is a cruel mistress. So it is fully armed with awareness that as a birthday present to my husband I slogged and silently prayed my way through my first 5-k in March of 2011. All the way saying "hope you enjoy this because I am never running again" adamantly stated by a soon to be Atlanta Track Club member who now springs out of bed on the Saturday of a race and waits patiently for the family runner to get ready to join me.
All of this running has taught me that running is different for women and there are a few universal truths in such an individual sport.
1) A female runner's best friend is a good sports bra. It is also the best friend of everyone who has ever watched a female runner without a good sports bra.
2) When you run a certain number of miles a week you should get a pass and be allowed to wear running tights to work. I mean you earned those glutes, thighs, and calves and it hardly seems fair that all that work has to be kept hidden.
3) Body glide is never too expensive.
4) You are running for something or from something. Women, unlike men, never do anything for no reason at all.
5) No matter what it is it will taste better after a run. For me that would be a bagel.
6) You can't out run middle age.
But after almost 2 years nearly 1,000 miles I do feel like I wink at Newton and say not quite yet. Have you seen me in my running tights?
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