Slow is the New Fast

Today I ran the Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon here in Virginia Beach (along with the other 20,000 runners).  I had heard it was a fun race and Holy 13.1 Miles, Batman! it was everything I thought it would be.  So here I sit, after a nap and a shower, with my sore feet and knees, wondering why I signed up for this kind of punishment.

The long and short of it is that I wanted to eat chocolate cake guilt free be healthy and fit.  I never set out to "be a smaller size," or to "lose a few pounds."  I was happy and healthy before running.  After two half-marathons this year and a handful of other races, I'm in the best shape of my life.  Coincidentally, I'm also getting married this year.  I joke about it and lots of others do too, about how I'm "trying to fit into a wedding dress."  It may be a nice side effect of running, but the main benefits to me are that my heart that loves the mister is stronger, when he takes my breath away my lungs are stronger, and the feet that will walk beside his for the rest our lives are stronger.  Amen.

Everybody wants to know about the time . . . Read my title again.  You don't have to run fast to gain the benefits.  Let's just say that I'm technically a jogger.  :)

Oh look - here I am!

I may have a doofus grin, crazy hair, and limpo arms - but look at those feet go.  See the other feet?  They're walking!  I'm mistride as a lean, mean, jogging machine!  Oh, you want to see the action shot?



At about 24 seconds in, you'll see my friend go nuts and wave at me. Then the future Mr. Palindrome wakes up and realizes it's not 5 am anymore and I'm almost across the finish line. Just kidding. He had been cheering at 3 other points of race course - can you hear his military trained cheer for me?? Love it. I even muster a smile and a wave. In my head, I was thinking, "Come to Momma, popsicles and beer!"

Shake that wedding stress off and lace up a pair! If for nothing else, for the free food at the end of a race. :) What? *shrug* Homegirl likes to eat!