Next Sunday, my husband and I are celebrating our twentieth wedding anniversary – albeit a bit belatedly.  It’s a compromise really – which serves to underscore the point that it takes compromise to sustain twenty years of marriage, but that’s another post.  Robbie has wanted for some time to run a marathon, I was never that keen on the idea.  I, on the other hand, wanted to go to DisneyWorld for our honeymoon.  He nixed that idea.  So as we thought about how to celebrate 20 years, we decided that running the Disney marathon was a nice compromise.  And for the last six months, very few days passed that I have not planned my life around my runs – especially over the last six weeks.  (when you are as old and slow as I am, it takes a long time to run 18 or 20 miles).

Actually, the story goes back a little farther than that for me.  Vanity is an ugly thing really – and i never really considered myself a vain person – i don’t wear makeup – i mostly wear jeans to work – i live in an average house that is way more cluttered than i would like.  But about two years ago (jan 2008) i bought my dream car – a bright red convertible Volkswagen Beetle.  I waited for 32 years for that car (no one do the math, please) – i still drive that car and i love it (though more so in the summer than in the winter).  But it was hard to get into and out of the car – and it felt like such a hip car and i felt like such a frump.  So i decided, more unconsciously than consciously, that i needed to get in better shape.  My original goals were meager – lose a dress size or two – get in better aerobic shape.  A friend knew i was a former swimmer and got me interested in doing a sprint triathlon and the rest is history.  I did the sprint tri and loved it – robbie talked me into the St. Jude’s half – loved it too… had some injuries the next spring, so missed a couple of races i registered for (still have the 40-60 dollar tshirts, however), but did St. Jude’s again this year.  So i guess in this instance, at least, vanity served a noble purpose.  If you knew me 2 years ago, you’d know that i was 5 or 6 dress sizes bigger and could barely walk across the room, much less 26.2 miles, without being winded.  It hasn’t been an easy process – it hasn’t been quick… but it is progress.  I look forward to my mickey mouse shaped 26.2 sticker on my car – and to framing my mickey mouse shaped finisher’s medal.  Mostly, i look forward to finishing the race… and i value feeling better physically and emotionally.

The only question i have left is what’s next… not sure – maybe Memphis in May triathlon – maybe Arkansas Triathlon – definitely St. Jude’s half next December… not sure i’ll ever do another 26.2 again – but i will do it once:-)  I’m old and I’m slow – but i’m out there – and it feels very good.