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| Blinging out and loving it! |
Hi! I'm Jen! Let's cut to the chase. I've decided to run. To really run. Oh, I've been dabbling in it haphazardly for years, but I never really understood how to make it rip-roaring, ya know? I mean, I liked it, it felt good, but I had no real motivation. Nothing consistently driving me to do it besides weight maintenance, but that's a drag to even think about. Then I subscribed to Runner's World magazine and it all kind of fell into place for me. I found some serious inspiration within those pages, and discovered I love reading about the people, places and events that make running truly amazing. I got hooked, and several of my Facebook friends who are avid runners became major influences as well. Eventually it became clear to me that racing is the way to go, and will be a significant focus for me going forward for a multitude of reasons.
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| Photographic evidence that the angels are behind me in this! |
I'll be honest - collecting and displaying things entices me. Finisher's medals and racing bibs are now prominent fixtures in my living room. I adore gear and gadgets, too - shoes, spandexy getups, and my new Garmin Forerunner 620 satisfy this craving. I also love to achieve, get rewarded for achievements, be active, pursue any and all passions that take up residence in my heart, and most importantly, move forward in life. I'm ready to push myself a bit, and test (and ultimately improve) my endurance for this super-ultra-marathon we call LIFE. I need to persevere through the walls I seem to have hit, and you know...work through some things. Put some literal distance between me and the past. Why not support some good causes along the way? As I 'race for a cure', I can simultaneously grow stronger, one finish line at a time. I don't ever claim to be a serious endurance runner by any means (at best I'm a jogger with a silent 'j'). I only claim that I want to get outside, experience nature, get some sun, and participate in exciting events that reward me for showing up and doing my best. I want to have really fun, positive experiences that become lasting memories for me. I feel powerful and free when I race.
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| Thanks, trail! |
I guess I should also stress that I'M IN THIS FOR THE MEDALS. Dubbed both "Medal Head" and "Medal Queen" by my cousins, this is what thrills me most about the whole scheme. I'm going to stare at them, take glamour shots of them, compare and contrast them with each other, rate them according to creativity, quality and size, and maybe even go on trips with them...or just wear them to the mall. I don't know. I can't fully anticipate my behavior at this time. This will be a process. I can tell you I want my whole apartment to be dripping with them. When I come home from a challenging day, I want to open my door and have a zillion reminders of why life is awesome and why I'm awesome staring at me as I walk in. I need that right now. I don't care how dumb or egocentric that sounds. Sometimes ya need a boost. And I live by myself, so nobody else has to deal with them. Heck, I can hang them on the Christmas tree I plan to keep up all year 'round because why not. Then it's up for next Christmas with no extra work on my part and who am I hurting??? Nobody, Mom. Nobody. Just kidding, Mom. I'll take it down, I promise. I just wanted to look cool in front of my blog readers. (Update: The tree is down now.) Another fun fact worth noting: I am told that when you run a lot, you end up needing new knees when you get older. I am fully aware of this, and if they have to melt down my finisher's medals to make me a new set, so be it. At least I had my fun.
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| I won! NOT! |
Ok...look. I will admit right now I am also physically preparing for Armageddon. I expect I'll have to run around all day looking for supplies, shelter, snack cakes (for sustenance) and Rick Grimes. From what I gather, you've gotta be limber, lithe, spry, and nimble as all get out if you are going to survive a zombie apocalypse or natural disaster, or whatever the hell else the future throws at us. And if I'm going down, I'm going down wearing hundreds of finisher's medals so that when they dig up my remains thousands of years from now, they will think I was some sort of new world Pharaoh, or highly decorated leader revered for her prowess, ability to finish running events, and sports bra collection from T.J. Maxx.
Other noteworthy details about me: I'm pretty slow at updating this blog (although the race schedule will always be current so I can keep track of what races I'm running), I'm an overall enthusiast of defying the rules of moderation, and I wholeheartedly believe that anything in life worth doing is worth overdoing. In case you couldn't tell. LOL!
