Another Beginning

After viewing a few of my close friends' blogs, and reading all the interesting things they had to say, I decided to put my love for writing to work. I talk about it all the time and dream about someday writing a brilliant article for a newspaper or magazine, except I never find the motivation or zeal to actually carry through with it. I figure that this new-fangled blogging is a very elementary and basic way, but it is still a way. In purchasing a new HP 1151 Netbook from my company, I have found the wonder and ease of said blogging. Now, I don't have a family to post updates and photos about. I don't have my own business (yet) to write about. I am not a brilliant photographer or cook who has amazing recipes and pictures to share. I'm just a girl who loves to keep her book wide open and share her day-to-day stories with her friends. Thus, a 2nd beginning for me. Take 2....action!

On Sunday, a very dear friend who I have known since we were preteens, Tiffany, invited me over to her house for a run and some wine. I begrudgingly agreed to it because I love my girl and I love wine. Why, begrudgingly, you ask? To put it simply, I hate running. I ran in high school because I was forced to do so as a requirement for playing soccer. I was on the varsity soccer team and part of preparing for the season each Fall, we would begin conditioning in August. This rigorous process involved sprinting at full speed the length of the soccer field and back...60 seconds of rest...and then back to sprinting....9 more times. We would also be made to run 10 times around the soccer field without stopping, usually in the sweltering August heat. It was during these times that I felt closest to the fiery depths of burning hell, watching my red-faced teammates falling off to the sides of the field, doubled over and clutching their stomachs as they dry-heaved and tumbled to the dusty ground. The thought of these long spells of running still makes me shudder to this day. So when my friend invited me over for a run and some wine, I wasn't sure how my body would react.

We started out at the beginning of Alki and jogged the majority of the way to the very end of the beach area. It was a lovely jog, particularly because the weather was gorgeous. As we jogged in front of the congested beach area we were nearly stopped in our tracks by a guy trying to hand us his demo CD. He loudly proclaimed, "Ladies, ladies, ladies," to which I exclaimed, annoyed, "We are RUNNING!" This made Tiffany giggle as we swept by them, not stopping for a second look. I mean, really. Come on. My face was glistening and redder than a strawberry, we were quite obviously not at the beach to socialize and philander with the locals. We were EXERCISING.

As we neared the end of the beach area, we turned around and started jogging back. To my (and probably her) dismay, I found myself increasing pressure on the outside of my left foot to accomodate a growing blister on the inside of my arch. My overwhelming pride forced me to keep running to keep up with my friend, but the pain took over and I had to stop. By the time we returned to her condo, we had easily jogged/walked 7 miles--the most I had ever ran at one time. I was proud, sore and hungry.

We made some potato salad and halibut to eat for dinner and drank some wine...my reward for a good workout. Despite my pride in completing a feat I thought impossible the day before, my Monday was not very pretty. I felt achy all over, my head was swimming, my throat was scratchy and coughy and I just felt drained. I thought for sure that I had contracted the Swine Flu somehow, but continued my Monday night ritual over a Mariners game and beer with Brian and am completely healed today. I'm certain that I overdid myself, but in my want to share the triumph I felt in completing such a horrifically glorious run, I now have a fun story to share for my second 1st blog.