an old park with a new name

once upon a time there was a park. this park was beloved by toads, who were in turn admired by two little girls. for several fortnights, strange men came and dug up the earth around the park, adding pipes and laying down cement.  when the two little girls returned, their toads were not waiting:

one girl searched diligently:

the other feasted on cantaloupe:

and shared her bike with the less fortunate:

it was then that the little girls made a discovery:

those same strange men who scared the toads away, had also created a watery wonderland:

the girls decided that no longer should this magic place be named "the toad park". it will be now known as "the sprinkler park":

and there was much rejoicing:

so much rejoicing, in truth, that some found it difficult to journey away  again:

the end

revolution

today was monumental. let's take a look back over the last 15 months . . .

january '10: i can't run a quarter mile without gasping for breath, clutching my side, and wishing for death.

february '10: amanda and i get serious about running and sign up for a 5k. i begin a training program.

march '10: i continue training and begin to panic as i realize i have to run 3 whole miles.

april '10: amanda and i finish our very first race (38:55) and feel pretty darn pleased with ourselves.

may '10: the madness doesn't stop, i run solo at the aquarium/veteran's 5k (34:03).

june '10: 5k-ing again with amanda up in the heights (36:28).

july '10: i run my first 6 miles (on a treadmill - 1:07:46) but do no races. hello: it's houston, if you're somehow not having a stroke from the heat and humidity, you're being eaten alive by the mammoth insects. 

august '10: grant buys me new kicks for our anniversary and we run a 5k in utah (34:55). grant places 2nd in his age division (punk).

september '10: i break out of my comfort zone and go to a yoga class. it's love at first savasana. my breathing and flexibility improve tremendously, and in turn improve my running.  

october '10: amanda and i step it up a notch: we run a halloween 10k (1:16:35). i hurt my foot.

november '10: i decide to run another 10k on my foot and walk a lot of the last 3 miles (1:20:25).

december '10: amanda and i begin seriously training for our half-marathons.

january '11: we do a 12 mile practice run. amanda does her first half. i get the flu and feel less bad that i wasn't running with her.

february '11: after struggling to regain the stamina i lost while sick, i run my very first half-marathon.

march '11: i add strength training to my workouts and run a record 52 miles during the month.

this humid, misty morning, my running life made a complete circle: i did my second rice flying owls 5k with amanda.

can we say "dork"? *sigh*

here i am bringing it in:

yes, i am smiling. why? because the finish line is mere yards away (and because i'm passing someone). i have a confession to make: i'm a competitive jerk. nothing gives me more pleasure than passing up fellow runners during a race. i did it to some lady right at the finish line of the half marathon:


see?! she even has a knee brace on. smirking, heartless jerk! (me, not her).



i did it several times today, not quite as close to the finish but still. i can't help it. once i'm on the home stretch, i have to run my guts out because the sooner i finish, the sooner i can collapse in a heap. and it pays off, my time today? 31:12!!!!! i can't even tell y'all how proud of myself i am. and i'm really pleased that i didn't end up vomiting on the lady taking the timing chip off my shoe. i had to cover my mouth and breath deeply but i managed it.

i really can't believe i've stuck to this so long. do i love running? sometimes. i do love how i feel after. i love the sense of accomplishment. i love runs that go good (like today's). do i still get shin splints? it's hit and miss. running on cement or asphalt definitely makes my shins sting. my foot occasionally cramps. it's certainly not all rainbows and butterflies, but it's been worth every sore muscle . . . at least, that's how i feel in my runner's high.