Goodbye to the Traveling Pants…
We had a funeral Monday night. It was sad. After hundreds of miles, my first pair of running pants had to be put to rest. I noticed as I was folding them that the holes had grown too large to ignore. Chris played “Taps” for me on his pretend trumpet and I thought of all the time, sweat and stress those pants have helped me through in the last 3 ½ years. Hard to believe I’ve only been running that long.
So it seems appropriate to share why I run during this memorial week. In no particular order (because they change everyday) here they are – The Reasons I Run:
1. I run because I prefer to keep my backside up where is belongs instead of nesting on the top of my legs. I’ve done all kinds of cardio and weight lifting but I’ve yet to find anything that keeps my bottom in the better shape than running. Unfortunately, I also continue to be plagued by cellulite. Sorry, but this is not a fool-proof cellulite elimination system. It’s certainly far less than it was before I started running and although I have not made peace with it per se, I am more tolerant of it. My bum looks pretty good in jeans. That makes me happy.
2. I run because I want to be healthy. Let’s face it there are a million reasons why exercise is good for you. I particularly like getting “excellent’ next to my cholesterol results from the doctor. And yes, I resisted the urge to put it on my refrigerator. I enjoy the way my heart feels after a morning 4 mile run almost like it’s beating a little stronger in my chest.
3. I run because I enjoy the challenge. There always seemed to be people who just, well, ran. They woke up one day, decided to run and poof, they were running. Not me. I would run 10 feet and get winded. I was the kid who walked the 1 mile fitness test in school. When I first started, it was painful. My ankles hurt. My feet hurt. My hips hurt. But I pushed onward. I would like to say that I’ve grown to love it and that it seems natural now, but that would be a lie. There are days when my legs feel good, my energy level is high and I think I could really start to like this thing. And then 2 days later, I’m struggling through mile 1 wondering why I do this to myself. But I continue to push and I continue to run.
We had a funeral Monday night. It was sad. After hundreds of miles, my first pair of running pants had to be put to rest. I noticed as I was folding them that the holes had grown too large to ignore. Chris played “Taps” for me on his pretend trumpet and I thought of all the time, sweat and stress those pants have helped me through in the last 3 ½ years. Hard to believe I’ve only been running that long.
So it seems appropriate to share why I run during this memorial week. In no particular order (because they change everyday) here they are – The Reasons I Run:
1. I run because I prefer to keep my backside up where is belongs instead of nesting on the top of my legs. I’ve done all kinds of cardio and weight lifting but I’ve yet to find anything that keeps my bottom in the better shape than running. Unfortunately, I also continue to be plagued by cellulite. Sorry, but this is not a fool-proof cellulite elimination system. It’s certainly far less than it was before I started running and although I have not made peace with it per se, I am more tolerant of it. My bum looks pretty good in jeans. That makes me happy.
2. I run because I want to be healthy. Let’s face it there are a million reasons why exercise is good for you. I particularly like getting “excellent’ next to my cholesterol results from the doctor. And yes, I resisted the urge to put it on my refrigerator. I enjoy the way my heart feels after a morning 4 mile run almost like it’s beating a little stronger in my chest.
3. I run because I enjoy the challenge. There always seemed to be people who just, well, ran. They woke up one day, decided to run and poof, they were running. Not me. I would run 10 feet and get winded. I was the kid who walked the 1 mile fitness test in school. When I first started, it was painful. My ankles hurt. My feet hurt. My hips hurt. But I pushed onward. I would like to say that I’ve grown to love it and that it seems natural now, but that would be a lie. There are days when my legs feel good, my energy level is high and I think I could really start to like this thing. And then 2 days later, I’m struggling through mile 1 wondering why I do this to myself. But I continue to push and I continue to run.
4. I run because I like to eat. A couple of years ago I saw a tee shirt that read “I run…for the chocolate cake.” Didn’t buy it but I should have. I like food. I like the taste, the texture, the smell, everything. I like salty, sweet, spicy, tangy – you name it, I eat it. Some people, like my very skinny husband, eat because they have to in order to survive. He stops eating when he’s full. Can you imagine? At least with a good run, I know I can have a cookie, some cake or a cup of ice cream without worrying if my pants will fit the next day. There’s a feeling of peace with that knowledge.
5. I run because I can. My dad got sick when I was in the 5th grade. When you come face to face with your parent’s mortality at such a young age, life takes on a different perspective. We’ve never taken each other for granted and we end every conversation with I love you. So in some way, I run because I can and he can’t. He’ll never know the feeling of his feet pounding the pavement. He’ll never feel his heart beating strongly as he hits mile 4. He’ll never chase after his grandson on the playground. But he’s here and we love every day together.
So goodbye Pants. Thank you for supporting me through miles and miles of awkward, painful and exhausting runs. Thank you for protecting everyone around me by concealing my blindingly white legs. Thank you for enduring wash after wash after wash. You served me well.
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