Shuffling to the Finish

Well, I did it. I had a baby, rested up, hit the gym hard and crossed the finish line yesterday. And I, of course, had many thoughts on the matter…

For one, running is sorta like pregnancy and childbirth. I spend the majority of the time hating how I feel, all culminating to one enormous pain (in this case it was a giant hill at the end of the race). At the end I feel so glorious that I am almost brain washed into thinking I should do it again. Almost, that is 🙂

These people that claim to have a runner’s high that re-energizes them are crazy. After I finally caught my breath I did feel a sudden feeling of being able to conquer the world. It was more like a milisecond of joy, followed by an overwhelming feeling of utter exhaustion. I was pretty much useless for the rest of the day as a result. However, that could also be attributed to the horrible night’s “sleep” (if you can even call it that) the previous night, followed by chasing after a few maniacs.

As much as I, like most things in my life, have a little love/hate relationship with running, I run five miles frequently. And 99.9% of the time I don’t have to pay anyone to do so. 99.9% of the time I don’t need my kids to sleep out (don’t get me wrong, that could have been the best part of this run) and a babysitter (another very gracious grandparent) for the baby. 99.9% I don’t have to be rounded up like cattle with 40,000 of my closest friends.

So why do it? Why go through all the logistical struggles? Why pay the money? Why shlep down to the city at an ungodly hour?

To have the opportunity to hang with a close friend. To eat a leisurely brunch at a high-stooled, non-highchair accessible table. To have the chance to take in the sights of Chicago while killing myself running instead of the normal views of suburbia. And mostly to be able to run (WAY too fast, if I say so) with my number one partner in crime who I am not able to spend nearly enough one on one time with…my hubby. Maybe next time, Adam, we could just opt for date night 🙂