#Running and #Winning

One thing I've never gotten pleasure from is running. Maybe running to get a donut or cupcake, but not the actual physical exercise. So 2011 (pronounce 20..11), marks the years of doing things differently. If I in the past said "big boned," this year I will say "big boneded." Last year I walked like a prissy super model wanna be. This year I will walk like George Jefferson. Kidding, though I find his walk very confident and endearing, my walk is actually working for me. You see where I'm going with this, right? I didn't start this exodus on January 1st, because that would be too pedestrian for me, so I waited about two weeks into. Actually, it was the end of a grueling Body Sculpting class, and the instructor asked if anyone was interested in training for the Shamrock Shuffle, and suddenly, I had an epiphany. It was my inner guidance I'm sure, loud and clear saying, "DENA DAWG YOU MUST RUN." My brain kicked in, and said "YEAH RIGHT!" Now I like to exercise, and have been to committed to exercise for about 2 years, but have recently kicked it up a notch, but running, C'MON SON!

I've never liked high impact, because of the double d's, so that kind of excludes most cardio, except for spinning, elliptical machines and dancing. So this was going to be a challenge. Not to mention that the training started in January, and I live in the Arctic (i.e. Chicago). Did I mention that we train by the lake? Below is an excerpt from my journal as narrated by Celie from "The Color Purple"

Week 1

Dear God,

I can't feel my face. I feel like Dumb and Dumber. It was 20-something degrees. I made it.

Week 2

Dear God,

It was 7 degrees! CRAZY! I can no longer feel my fingers? I have on a face mask with frozen snot. Ill!

Week 3

Dear God,

The blizzard this past week was proof that you exist. The fact that I got out of my bed to run in the aftermath, is proof that I am listening to you. It was easier, because the lake was still a disaster we had to run in the neighborhood. It was 27 degrees, so it felt better.

The Narration is now being read by Snoop Dogg from "Murder was the Case"

Week 4

Dear God,

How can it be, that I'm still doing this. You are obviously a powerful force in my life. The guilt alone makes me get out of bed.

Week 5

Dear God,

My period came on the way back from Vegas. (YES I take PERIOD VACAYS) I needed the rest. Separate prayer. Dear God, please don't make my period start for the day of the Shamrock Shuffle? AMEN, AND SO IT IS.

Week 6

Dear God,

A girl in the gym said we are running 3 miles straight. Excuse me, did she just say that? Yes she did. I shocked myself, and ran a mile and a half straight. So I succeeded.

Week 7

Dear God,

That was funny. Though it was 34 degrees, you whipped us with sleet, wind and hail. 4 miles down.

Week 8

Dear God,

I was aching. Oh no is it that time again. PMSING. I know I shouldn't claim it, but it takes me down. I get so tired and fatigued. I still finished. In 56 minutes, but the goal this year is just to finish.

Til next time when I discuss THE POWER OF THE PLAYLIST.