Good to Have Goals

I am not a runner. Not by any stretch of the imagination. But I am going to run in a 5K in December. My dear friend, who is a runner, asked if I would be interested. I think she might have been shocked when I said yes, especially considering the last time we "ran" together. She was so patient, so kind. She never left me, even when I sat down after, oh, let's say maybe 10 minutes of running. She was very encouraging, but the laziness in me won out. Now, I figure it is good to have a goal.

I really don't like exercise. I think I am gym-phobic. Not that is not a recognized mental disorder, but it sure feels real to me. I blame it on FSU and their 13.5 million dollar fitness facility. Sure, it was nice and spiffy, but it was really intimidating. Now it wasn't the machines, the indoor track, or the weight that freaked me out. It was more the folks who were using the facility--girls in full make up and guys with too much cologne on. The gym, much like the grocery story close to campus, was more about dating than the implied purpose. Not like I didn't want to date. I just didn't, and still don't, understand how sweating like a fat cow and dating go hand in hand.

However as I get older and the metabolism slows, I figure I should try to get through my gym-phobia. So I committed to run in a race and I went so far as to spend what little money I have on a personal trainer. I figured this would serve two purposes:
1. I would have more motivation to work out, since the gym membership I bought two years ago really didn't do it
2. I could learn how to exercise right, so I wouldn't feel like a goof trying to figure out what the hell I was suppose to do with those weight machines.

So far it seems to be working. My trainer is a cute little person who laughs at my pain, though she is a great motivator. I don't eat as many brownies and oreos because I know they are just going to make it harder to work out the next day. I can't say I enjoy exercise and I doubt I ever will. But now, I do believe there is a chance that I will complete this 5K before the end and without too much pissing and moaning.