I need crowd control

Recently Abby started swim lessons. Yes, I know we are a tad late to getting her skills up. Especially as we are surrounded by water. But well, we've been busy. As I was sitting at her lesson recently I realized that just across the pool was a windowed room that gave you a view of the pool.

The room was filled with stationary bikes. In a moment of AHA I thought why am I sitting here when I could be exercising. No I wasn't hit on the head. 

I did it!

After two weeks of "training" I did it. I managed to run a 5k and not be the last one across the finish line. My husband ran it with me. He did not train at all. Which makes me extremely jealous, as he never got out of breath.

The race started with motivation from the 19 year-old who organized the race to raise money for Crohn's Disease. Mackenzie is a cool kid who has battled Crohn's for the past three years. When she had to postpone starting college due to the disease instead of sitting back and feeling sorry for herself, she organized a 5k.

She is an inspiration for all children not to let illness, disease or hardship to defeat them. As she finished her speech she informed us that this was an "easy" 5k with just one hill. Oh, but it was a killer hill with a cemetery at the top if anyone couldn't make it!

Why sometimes one child is so much easier

This sounds horrible, but when I had Allie I was one and done. I mean D-O-N-E. I didn't think I would ever love, like, have patience or stamina for another child.

Then along came a massive fire and Boo. Swear to God as any firefighter wife and she will tell you that fire = aphrodisiac to the Men that Are. Anyway, too much information but again there came Boo.

Following what was I thinking...

Remember I said I would find 10 minutes and signed up for a 5k. If not you can read here to catch up. Okay if you are done laughing we can continue...

The other day I decided I had to start training for that 5k. Two weeks should be enough, right? Since the Bruins kept me up to oh-dark-thirty in triple overtime it wasn't happening before work. I decided to take an hour personal time before the Boo pick-up and take a practice run.

A 2.2 mile run/walk. What could go wrong?

Filing under what the heck was I thinking?

Attention: Anyone in your 20's this might not be the post for you. See, right now you have a rockin' bod. A bod to die for that you don't have to do any real work to maintain. Oh you also have time for the gym. 

Anyway, I am  22 years past the prime of the 20-year old. And I put on a bathing suit for the first time this year. It was not pretty. I am sure that the pasty white skin didn't help the image. And yes, I could use a little self-empathy.

I asked the always reliable husband: Do I look fat? Ladies, especially, those in your 20's do not in your 40's ask a man you have been with for too long to remember for his "honest" opinion. He will give it to you.

"Well," he said without a moment's hesitation, "If you are asking me if you have put on weight in the past 3 or 4 years, yes. But you are not fat you just have a pouch and flabby legs".


Yes he lived. Because, well, he was right. I haven't run in over a year and the only aerobic activity I have done since Boo's birth look like this:

Now friends, in the interest of honesty, I know I am not fat. I do not really have a weight issue. Things just aren't where they used to be. I am in no way trying to be dismissive of those who struggle with their weight on a daily basis. But I am not happy with the "pouch". So I did two things...

I signed up for a 5K with only 2 weeks to train. I'm an idiot like that. I outted myself on Facebook for accountability and I asked my nephews if they thought that was time enough to train. One replied, of course. The other one said: sure if you put down the wine. Guess which one is my new favorite?

Next, I contacted the always reliable and exercise-aholic Tia. She agreed that the 40's have not been kind to our bodies. She then recommended the on-demand videos that are 10 minute work-outs. Surely I can find 10 minutes, right?

Well, the last time I tried a video workout I ended up watching it on the couch with some Gelato and a glass of wine. But this time I was going to do it. I could find 10 minutes,  I will, I will.

The other night I picked Allie up from school, ran errands and made it home before Boo and hubs (he had therapy duty, yay him). Started dinner and said, hey wait I have 10 minutes now.

Choose the cardiac dance video and proved once again why Allie thinks I cannot dance. Marching, I did that step perfect. The slide, yup got that down. Then they moved onto something and I, well, mis-stepped. I have no idea what move I was trying to make but I landed on the floor. Then with perfect timing, Allie comes in...

Allie: Mom what are you doing?

Me: I am exercising

Allie: I don't think that is what exercising is supposed to look like.

Yes, she lived. Because she was right. But I got up and finished the last 7 minutes of the workout. Yes, friends, I fell in minute 3. As soon as you stop snorting wine you can finish reading....

Oh you are back!

This morning I got up and found another 10 minutes. So I did the Thin-in-10 core work out. Twelve years ago I did Pilates and Yoga 3 times a week. This should be a breeze. Let's forget that the last Pilates/Yoga work out was 12 years ago.

I could not do a sit-up. Not one without heaving my legs off the floor for momentum. I did manage to some of the other torture moves. Thankfully there were no witnesses.

But I am determined to carry on. I will find 10 minutes every morning/evening and find time to train for the 5k.

Because I will wear a bathing suit this summer and I want to tan my pasty white skin.

And if you haven't had a chance yet and feel bad for me and my pouch please take a moment to "like" me! I am nominated for the Best of the Blogs. Just visit this link and "like" with Facebook.

http://www.babble.com/mom/a-letter-to-new-special-moms/

You can only like me once, though. So thanks to everyone who already likes me!