Orange...or Purple haze?

In an effort to start running, I hear it gets you in shape or something like that, I've decided to run the Carlsbad 1/2 marathon.

Knowing myself pretty well, I am very aware that I have the ability to find every possible excuse NOT to run. "Serving on a beach is like running, I mean think of all the calories I burn carrying mai-tais through sand!" or "I don't need to run today...I skipped lunch!"

So, to keep myself accountable, and so as not to keel over in public on the day of the shweaty event, I joined a running group. We meet on Saturday mornings at 7:30. Feel free to let out a gasp...that's right, 7:30...a.m. I played with the idea of raising my hand the first day and asking (in front of the 60 person crowd) "Does anyone else feel the need to push this thing back about 3 hours? Cuz I'm thinkin' 10:30ish would work out really nicely for me." Instead, I conformed to the social norm of getting up early...it's a fad I'll never really get into.

Last week was the first week we met and after an orientation and the standard shaking of 3 peoples' hands, we did what's called a "pacing exercise." This is all new to me. I try to keep up and act like I am familiar with all the verbiage. Ya know, look at the guy in spandex next to me and say something like, "Oh yea, pacing exercise, totally did one of these yesterday." Low and behold, a pacing exercise, tells all the In Motion Fit experts what pace you run. Pretty tough one to grasp. We are put into groups based on how fast we run and whether we're running the 1/2 or full marathon. I assumed I'd be in the purple group. Purple basically consists of pregnant women, the enthusiastic individuals choosing to walk the marathon, and the ladies over 50 who wear visors. To the naked eye, I did not belong in the purple group, but deep in my heart I knew I did! I'm not a runner. When I was a cheerleader, running to the end of the football field for the touchdown got me out of breath was the worst part of the entire experience.

A step up from the purple group is the green group, and then the (way out of my league) orange group. During the pacing exercise, we were told to carry on conversations with fellow runners so we'd be sure not to run too fast (obviously I know this cuz I do this kind of thing ALL the time) so I chatted with another slow-poke. Small talk of course, "Yea...pretty sure I'll be in the purple group..." Seemingly annoyed with my bothering her pace, "Ya know, they have a group called Purple Haze? They are the fastest of the Purples!" Now my inevitable status would be purple haze...and I was okay with that. She scurried off after giving this piece of information, I think admitting my lack of running experience may have been a bad move!

Pacing exercise over, time written down and guess which "slow poke" made the fricken orange group?! It was like the 10 year-old inside me just got picked first for the cool athletic kid's dodge ball team. I couldn't help but laugh...and tell everyone I knew (including you).

Now it was on. Today, running group sesh #2, I had to prove that I deserved to run with those orange people. We were given an option of running to the closest mark, or the furthest, I chose the furthest. What's that church saying, something about a last chair in heaven, first chair in...? Well, on a totally nonspiritual level (hopefully) that's me folks! I am indeed the last chair in that orange heaven! Okay maybe not DEAD last, but pretty close. Who doesn't like a good challenge right? Obstacles aside, I was going to run the whole time, none of this walking crap - except for the stop to retrieve the key less entry remote (that was looped onto my shoe laces) and flew off into a planter, awesome.

My mind as usual was running wild (no pun intended)..

"Mission Bay smells like sulfur...
when did bike shorts come back in? and how did I miss that? I love bike shorts...
I have to go to the bathroom...
Is that a purple coming up behind me? I better pick up the pace!"