Buzz buzz, clippity clop… looks at phone, freezes, heart sinks, breathing gets shallow. Well cripes, that was scary! A calendar notification that I signed up for a 5k… in two weeks. I don’t run. I tried jogging two days ago. There was dizziness, back pain, asthma. The very next day, I got sick.
Coincidence? I think not.
At the end of last year, I started doing a five minutes of movement a day habit trial. Which turned into easy stretching in the morning. Then I joined a group fitness bet at the end of August, more on that here, and have been doing 20 minutes of physical activity 3x per week since. Technically, I missed one week, but got back to it the following week. This does not normally include that much cardio, so I thought I should up it after a recent hike left me quite breathless. I still did better than I did a year ago!
So I decided to sign up for a 5k I ran across (but-um-ching), called justify the pie. Let’s be honest, I signed up because I loved the name. I chose the untimed version, because, well, I just want to finish. I don’t want the pressure of time. I don’t even think I’m going to make up any silly self rules or tests, like “You must jog the whole time… on one foot… while balancing a cornucopia on your head.” Ok, well maybe the first two, I kinda like the last one. Where does one buy a cornucopia?
This 5k, I’m going to just go, as long as I don’t chicken out, and finish. It’s more of a will she/ won’t she go, rather than a how fast… or more like will she jog the whole time thing. This girl just wants future C to go and finish.
Then that buzzing clickity clopity action started on my phone, and past C (the one who signed up for the race before she went on the treadmill of pain and realized what kind of athletic shape she was really in) popped up on my phone in her programmed google message saying “Two weeks to go!” Meaning, hope you’re still on that treadmill and have been running everyday! Well, I have not, you judgey, over ambitious past C.
So here I am, yelling at my past self for signing up. And telling my future self and all of you, it was good to sign up, to push yourself, but also realize where you are realistically and don’t injure yourself. Also, it’s ok sometimes, not to set rules, challenges, or goals. Maybe just have fun. Or maybe set yourself a goal that is based in reality and is actually attainable. In this instance, for me, that’s just going to future C showing up. Will she?
Do you think she will?
