Legs O'Fire

So let's explain how I ended up signing up for the Diva Dash ... and the subsequent Fleet Feet "No Boundaries" 5K running clinic:

Like every woman on earth that doesn't live in freaking California, I have some weight to lose. I'm greatful to genetics and God that I carry my weight well, HE gave me curves and I've actually had arguments with sales clerks when I go in to try on a pair of size 14 jeans. Apparently I look like a 6/8 *fistbump to Jesus*

Anywhosits, I'm staring down the barrel of age 30, and even though I'm so totally geeked out about joining the "Dirty 30" club, I also have noticed my body is changing just enough that I'm none to happy with it. Lo and behold, the same darn week I'm thinking about this, Shape magazine (via Facebook) announces the Diva Dash in Austin, TX in April. That's a 5k plus obstacle course every 1/2 mile, only a quick little 2.5 hour drive from me. I send the link out to a couple of my coworkers....they forward it on to other friends.....and the next thing I know, we have 12 women who want to do this together. Ah-freaking-MAZING!!! So we signed up.

I don't run. Like, seriously. Ever. Point of pride: I actively sat out of running the mile in High School. EVERY WEDNESDAY! I hated running....well, I didn't hate running, as much as I hated the gym teacher who would tell me that I wasn't running fast enough. And my town was so small that we had the same damn teacher every year. So one day, I just 'forgot' my gym clothes and willingly took the D for the day....and ketpt the streak going once I realized the teacher got pissed off about it. Gym teacher actually called my parents, who thank God, told her that I was an honor roll student and if the worst you can say about me is that I wasn't dressing out 1 day a week, it wasn't the end of the world.

So what the hell posessed me to run this bad boy? I have no clue, I need a change. I WANT TO DO THIS. So I started researching. Stumbled across a beginners running clinic that starts on Thursday. I hemmed, hawed, and whined to everyone who would listen. And do you know what all of them said?? "What's the worse that could happen?" "If you do the Dash, you need to train. This is perfect." and so, I signed up for that too. I asked others if they wanted to join me and all looked at me like I lost my mind. Except for one, my friend S, who is a freaking size 0, but I love her anyway (and she's a dietitian, so being a size 0 kinda makes sense).

To get a jump, I agreed to go walk around Memorial Park, the loop at Memorial is just over 3 miles, so perfect for me to see how I do. I walked the loop in just under an hour..and truthfully we talked for a bit instead of straight concentration on walking, so I know that worse comes to worse, I'll walk the damn Dash in an hour ;-)