Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Run, kid, run!

Today's NHBPM prompt is to write about a health moment I regret.
 
 
Last month, we participated for the 2nd time as a family in a 5k. This one was put on by the PTA of our school district. The kid and hubby ran it. It was the kid's 4th or 5th 5k. Hubby has run a couple of half marathons and a full one, so it was no big deal for him (and this was certainly not a good time for him, you know, because he was running with a 6yo and all). But that's a pretty good distance for a 1st grader.
 
I'm so proud of my boy. He finished in about 36 minutes, and 5th overall in his age group (50+ kids). Mostly, though, I'm proud of him for doing it. And for improving on his own personal best from the last couple of races. I think we may have a cross country runner on our hands.
 
(Also, his face in this picture really cracks me up. And I love the look his Poppa is giving him.)
 

And at this point, if you paid any attention to the prompt from the very beginning of this post, you're wondering where I'm going with this whole thing. Here's the tie in. You'll notice I mentioned hubby and the kid. I haven't mentioned myself (or baby E). Baby E and I walked the race. To be more accurate, I walked it, and wore baby E in our Boba carrier (truly, I need to do a toddler-wearing post one of these days).
 
I could use that to excuse my sad time (48min-ish, 2nd to last in my age group). I mean, I was carrying a 27ish lb toddler. And the only participant - of several hundred - to babywear, I might add. So, really, shouldn't take off at least several minutes?! (The correct answer here is yes.) However, the truth is, I've gotten fat and I've gotten slow. Not that I've ever been speedy mind you, but really, this was bad.  
 
I weigh more now than I have, well, ever. And I'm more out of shape than I've been, well, ever. I know I've bemoaned this several times here over the last year or so. And the truth is I've done nothing about it, outside of the bemoaning that is.
 
It really isn't about the weight, but it is about how I feel. Which is tired, and lethargic, and pudgy, and flat out uncomfortable in my own skin. Because there's too much of it, you know.
 
So, what's the health moment I regret? It's the one when I realized that even if I hadn't been wearing baby E (thus not able to run for safety reasons), there is no way my body would have been able to do it anyway. And that sucks.
 
I hope that one of these years, all 4 of us will be able to run a 5k together.
 
 
 
Today's Lesson: Until we make a decision to change, to move, we remain stagnant. Simply bemoaning things does us no good. It does nothing to activate the movement. Perhaps it even makes us more entrenched and less likely to move. Thus, we need to stop moaning and start moving. Then change can happen.

3 comments:

Kerri said...

Love that picture of your two big guys. I'm like you, I've been bemonaing my weight for forever and doing nothing about it. I even attempted to start a walking group two days a week at 8pm (after kids are in bed) but sickness and schedule conflicts keep getting in the way. I need to get moving more too!!

Peg said...

Making the first step (no pun intended) is always the hardest. I still need to make it myself and I seem to have tons of excuses about why I'm not getting out there and running. I know it would help so much with my stress.

Maybe you'll inspire me??

The kid's face is absolutely hilarious!

Kelly said...

I keep hoping that something will just come along and zap me into shape.

Since that hasn't happened, I think it's time that I take matters into my own hands. I don't quite know how or what yet, but my goal is to start doing a few things differently here in the future. Thanks for the post, I think it's going to inspire me to get off my rear. :)