The other day I had to listen and then re-listen a few times more to a voicemail a friend left me. Why did I have to listen to the message over and over? Because honestly I could not believe what I was hearing. One of my probably most sane friends had apparently lost her mind. She had actually left me a message asking if I would run a 10K with her. Wait it gets better. She wanted me to run a 10K in New York City with her. Uh, do I look like Katie Holmes? I think not. After I internalized the messaged and realized that my ears were not deceiving me, but my friend had truly lost her mind I called her back. Here's basically how the conversation went...
Me: Uh, thanks so much for the confidence that you have in me, but there is no way in heaven or the other place that I am running a 10K in NY.
Friend: I think it would be a great way to challenge ourselves.
Me: Yes, it would be a great way to challenge yourself, you who have ran since high school. Challenging myself would be to run through one set of commercials on my treadmill while watching my favorite show.
Friend: I've never ran a 10K either. A 5K is all I've done.
Me: But you have ran a 5K before. Me...nada. No races ever completed or even walks for that matter.
Friend: Well think about and let me know if I can change your mind.
Me: My mind will definitely not be changing about the race, but I will think about coming along to sit and cheer you on. I'll be your biggest fan. Do you think we will have time to do some shopping!!
I still am not sure what in the world convinced her to ask me, out of all our friends, to accompany her on a 10K in New York. She has talked another friend into running with her, thank God because it takes the focus off me. I am considering at least going and cheering my girls on from the sidelines...I'll be the one with a Starbucks cup and chocolate croissant flakes on my shirt.
**I must admit though that my friend has at least made me start thinking. I have came a long way being able to run at all and honestly it would be thrilling to run a race. I just may have to start challenging myself a bit more and do some training to see if I can build up more endurance. Then, maybe, just maybe, when she loses her mind the next time I can graciously accept her challenge and live up to the confidence she has in me!! Until then though I am perfectly happy to be known as the cheerleader.
You should go - at the very least be the one with the starbucks and a chocolate croissant. I use any excuse to get to NYC. My favorite place on earth. Wait - do they want me to cheer them on?
ReplyDeleteWell, a few years ago, I went completely crazy and committed to walking an entire marathon. Did all the team training, etc. even though I was totally out of shape and had never done anything like it.
ReplyDeleteI lost weight, had a good time with friends, and actually finished the marathon! It was long and miserable, but quite an achievement.
A few years ago I had never ran a race either and could barely run to first base.
ReplyDeleteYou read my race reports all of the time now, don't you?
Get at it, girlie!
I think you should go for it!
ReplyDeleteIt's actually one of my goals too - but it seems to be very far away!
you know you waaaant to go ;)
ReplyDeleteI think you should go! Even if you only end up being the cheerleader - it's always fun to go to NYC!
But if it 'sparked' your curiosity, I think you should really think of training for a later run - I'm sure you would have lots of fun doing it:)
i say you TOTALLY do it! i am a runner (ran track and cross country in college) and running a race is awesome. even if it is just for fun - which is the only way i can really run now with no time to TRAIN seriously. and you'll get to go to NYC! you may just find yourself with another wonderful hobby that will keep you fit and get to travel while your at it! you could do a local 5K in the interim and see what you think! go for the adventure. life is short and you only live once!
ReplyDeleteHA! Yeah...that would have been my response, too. My best friend runs but she does not do marathons. That's why we're best friends. I don't do them either. :)
ReplyDeleteYou've got to try a road race at least once. I was surprised at how much I loved it when I ran my first one last summer.
ReplyDeleteBut it was a 5K, not 10K.
And I was part of the 'stroller brigade'. Yes, this road race allows for walkers or people with strollers to take off after the competitors (Honey) and runners start. There were times it was too crowded to run/jog but when I was moving I had lots of encouragement from the walkers and people that come to stand on the sidelines and cheer participants on.
If you can find a race like this I say do it!
That is a goal of mine too....although it requires me to actually run....so I don't know!
ReplyDeletenothing wrong with a good old fashioned cheering section...:)
ReplyDelete