I am not a Runner!

There are many things I am in my life. I am a woman, a wife, a mother, a teacher, a friend, I am not however, a runner. Okay so now you are asking yourself, Stein, why if you are not a runner do you even bother to bring this up. Good question . . .its all Megan's fault (well and to be honest Meredith's too!)

I started playing soccer when I was 6 years old, soccer is a sport that disguises running by distracting you with a bouncing black and white ball. I LOVED soccer (still do), and why, because its competative and if you know me you know I am competative to the core. I like being good at things (who doesn't) and for 12 years I was very good at soccer. I played three seasons (sometimes four) a year (Rec, indoor, school and travel for those of you keeping track) for 12 years. I have played every position on the field at one point or another and it was good! And then I graduated high school, I went to college and I got busy, I got jobs, I went pre-med and there was no time to play. So without the little bouncing ball to distract me there was no running. I saw no point in pointing off to the horizion and saying, Yes today I will go that way! Ehh no thank you! And running on a treadmill, BORING! So no running! Great, fine, good. So instead I do aerobics, I like aerobics, I beast aerobics. Okay so now how does all of this relate?

I have always wanted to be a person who runs. If you have ever noticed, the women who run are thin! And to be honest its not just the thinness (yeah I don't think that is a word, but whatever this is my blog and I make the rules :-P) issue, but women who run always seem more content than women who don't. I want to be one of those thin content women who can find their zen out on the road. (Also I have a secret dream to do a triathalon, but considering my dread of the running part . . .well yeah) But because I dislike running so much and to be quite honest suck at it, I have never thought it to be more than a pipe dream. I have tried to run before. I can't! I am incapable of getting my lungs to cooperate with me. I cannot both breathe and run at the same time. Its extremely frustrating! Don't believe me? Run with me, you will see. Its bad, hyperventilating bad. . .yeah.

Anyway so I have friends who run and these friends like to run and because they like to run they want me to run. Megan and I have been best friends since we were in the eight grade, she has (like me) never been a person who runs. We both have issues with our knees and to be honest for most of our lives the two of us running has not been a pretty sight. Well my Megan ran a half-marathon last weekend! I am sooooo proud of her its beyond words, but now she thinks these crazy things like I should run too. Yikes! Well in true Megan fashion she has talked me into this craziness and has me thinking I can run a 5K. . .yeah me. . .what?? And my Meredith (Marathon-Meredith) is fueling the flames that I can do this. I love my friends. . .I guess I'll give it a shot. This should be interesting (or at least amusing for you to read about. . .)