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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

A Little Girl With Great Big Plans

I think I was smoking crack when I decided to sign my family up for the Bolder Boulder 10K.  The problem is, before you can run 6.2 miles, you have to be able to run ONE mile.  And then two, and then three and four and five, and even though it doesn't sound like a lot it kind of is.  I didn't realize it either until I tried to walk up a flight of stairs and talk on the phone at the same time without sounding like I was hauling 80 pounds of granite on my back - when the person on the other end asks if you're trying to blow the little pig's house down, that's your first clue that maybe you've bitten off more than you can chew.

Today when I was running I was thinking about two things:  One, how much I hated running and two, that there was half of a leftover burrito waiting for me at home when I was done.  Which just goes to show you, motivation is personal. 

Since we are doing this as a family Drew and I get up at 6 am a couple of mornings a week to get the running in before he has to go to school.  This kills me, and one day last week as we walked out of the gym I was thinking how our next family goal should be who can eat the most ice cream bars at Disneyland when Drew looked over at me and said, "Well, we're getting better!"  I wanted to hug him and smooch him on the cheek and take him to Disneyland right that moment.  But he just turned 11, and although he still allows the side hug before boarding the morning bus, I don't want to push my luck.

Saturday, however, I was doing my run alone, had about a mile to go, and wanted to sit down on the side of the road and call Jimmy John's to deliver me a sandwich.  I had already stopped four times to catch my breath, and even though I was approaching a downhill grade I simply didn't feel like I had anything left to give when guess what happened?  You guys, Mindy saved my life.  Not this Mindy,

(Mindy Cohn from "The Facts of Life")

Or THIS Mindy:

(From the sitcom "Mork & Mindy")

No, I'm talking about this MindyI'm sure you've heard of her beforeShe's a singer, which I love.  She just cut her hair super short, which I love.  She also reads my blog, which I LOVE love.  But most importantly on Saturday, when my feet wanted to stop and my heart wanted to rest and my stomach wanted some cereal, her voice began streaming through my iPod and just like that, my feet, heart and stomach said they could keep going.  

"I'm gonna walk a hundred miles" (talk about an overachiever)
"I'm gonna whistle all the while" (she's obviously never seen me exercise)
"If that's what it takes to make me smile" (it's not, but okay)
"I'm gonna walk a hundred miles" (or jog for one, as the case may be)

The lyrics make me feel like I'm 8 years old again, back when my friend's mom taught me ballet and she thought I had great potential.  It was before I turned 40 and tried to run a mile for each of those decades without stopping to breathe, pee, or order pizzaMindy makes me feel like maybe I actually CAN run right up that hill..."and maybe I'm just a little girl, a little girl with great big plans."


20 comments:

Janell said...

This is the first time I've heard of this particular Mindy. The song and video made me smile. Thank you for sharing it!

Kristina P. said...

I will truly never understand people who actually *want* to run.

Heather said...

Running never makes me smile until I'm all finished.

Kara said...

Excited for you!

Heather said...

Love it... I am like you.... I prefer food, but run if I have to, and I want to be a good runner, and I am not sure that can happen... I have no mind over matter...

Meg said...

Great song and can't wait to see you next week. Crazy stuff huh?

violyngirl said...

I LOVE that video and wondered at your title if it was related. Glad she got you going!

anitamombanita said...

love it! perfect song. And YES, you CAN do it! and you will!! Of that I'm sure!

ray-ray says said...

Keep it up.
I'll bet you ten burritos you won't cross the finish line and think, "Well, that was a waste of time."

Anonymous said...

Such a great song! And look, are those the Spanish Fork windmills in the background? Yes, yes, they are.

You can do it! You CAN run (or walk) those 6 miles. (yawn) I think I'll go back to bed. Thinking about you running has made me tired.

Ria said...

I like to think of Dori saying, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming."

Sherise said...

I've never heard that song before, and I love it! I'm off to iTunes. Keep running, Kristy--you can do this!

Rachey said...

That was a fun song, and the perfect soundtrack for your running. I am in the midst of trying to get back into shape after baby number 2 and it feels insurmountable sometimes too, but you and I can both do it.

Mindy Gledhill said...

Haha! Kristy, I love you and your hilarious posts! Thanks for referencing my song here. Here are a few other ones to get your rear in gear: "Bootylicious," "Fighter," I also like running to Kaskade's music. Good luck!

tz said...

oh I liked that song...but how where they singing and running? And no one was off to the side clutching their sides and about to keel over. Maybe that's why I wasn't chosen for this particular video?

Good luck and good for you for making such a neat family goal! my eleven year old also only allows the side hug while in public.

Lorie said...

Wow... I love the descriptions and I can so relate! I bet you will look just like that lady and sing while you run. What a good way to get on TV, anyway. GOOD LUCK!

Jill said...

I don't know who Jimmy John is, but I think you should call for a nutter butter cupcake next time.

Lani Wendt Young said...

thank you for reassuring me that I am not the only person in the universe who thinks about food when i go for a 'run'. Or who should put 'run' in speech marks because the term is very relative. I enjoyed the video and the song. I dont know if it would make me keep putting one foot in front of the other when im staggering along the road - but it will defn make me smile while im staggering.

p.s ( By the way, you are my idol. You're RS Pres, and you run and you blog and you can get your kids to train for a fun run. Without bribing them?!)

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

I love Mindy's music!
Wow, you are famous that she visits here.

I think that eating ice cream bars is a totally worthy goal.
I want to see pictures of it though.

I'm signed up for the Teton Dam
10 K.
Not sure how I feel about it.

Hilary said...

Normally I don't get into Mindy, but I really liked that song.