allanabytes

Last week, as I was sitting in my parents kitchen, eating something delicious, I couldn’t help but burst at the seams telling them how excited I was to run my first 5k the following weekend.  This is how that conversation went down.

Lan: Hey, yea, so be sure to not make plans for next Saturday, thats when my race is – I think, I haven’t actually looked. I should probably do that. I’m pretty sure its on Saturday. You’ll be there, right? Like, cheering me on?

(Mom laughs)

Lan: Wait, why are you laughing? This is serious!

(Mom laughs like a hyena)

Mom: Lan  – it’s three and a half miles

Lan: Exactly!

Mom: Honey, to be honest, it never even crossed my mind

Mmm, ouch.

(I don’t need to tell you how the rest of that conversation went. There was some screaming, some hair-pulling, a lot of crying … I threw a chair, things kinda got wild)

In reality, I guess I understand. 3.5 miles, 5K, really not that big deal. But to me, it is a big deal. Never in a million years did I think I would be able to run a 5k. And I know my family and friends think the same. As a perpetual “Yeah, I did buy a gym membership and no I haven’t gone in weeks – I’ll go tomorrow,” type person, this was quite a little accomplishment for allanabytes (even if her mother wasn’t there to supoprt her. But whatever, she’s over it)

What an even bigger deal was how much I actually enjoyed running the race. So much so, I signed up for a 10k on Thanksgiving and am training towards a half-marathon this coming July. Yep, never thought I’d say something like that, ever – I mean, like ever.

What I loved most about the run, besides almost hacking up a lung and accidentally spitting on the guy behind me, were the endorphins. I mean, holy crap, was I happy! I don’t mean like, pleased, I mean legitimately estatic. Floating on air. Basically felt like I could run the world (girls!).

The endorphins began to hit about a 1/2 mile from the finish line, when, running up the hilly slope of Roosevelt Rd, I saw some random guy on the street cheering, holding up a sign that read, “RUN TOTAL STRANGER, RUN!” I don’t know why, but I almost teared up.

Okay, fine, I’m pretty sure a tear did fall from my face. Or maybe it was sweat, but whatevs, I was freaking touched. I ran past him, holding out my hand for a high-five, to which he exuberantly returned. (Now that I think about it, he was actually really attractive)

Finally, I saw the finish line in sight. My legs were slowly becoming jello, so I just sprinted like I actually knew what I was doing and crossed that finish line, about to have a heart attack, and probably throw up, but still, so happy.

Then, its like the endorphins just kept hitting. Or maybe it was the fact I knew I was going to eat my body weight in chocolate. Either one, I was on a roll. I legitimately felt like I was the president or something. Oh my god, it was so awesome.

As I mentioned in my previous post, things in my world had been majorly sucking lately. To top it all off, I lost $200 at a casino last week. With my mother. She didn’t win much either, which is a-typical for her considering I’m pretty sure she might have a slight gambling problem. (But at least I didn’t lose all my money in the “High Rollers,” area on a $5 wheel of fortune game, MOM)

That may sound harsh, but I figure thats her penalty for not supporting me in my “big race”.

Either way, as I sit here writing and eating donut holes dipped in chocolate, I have to say, those endorphins and that run were very needed for allanabytes.

Cinnamon sugar covered donuts with chocolate sauce? Yeah, I earned those little suckers. At least, thats what I keep telling myself. Don’t worry, “I’ll just go to the gym tomorrow.”