So I ran a 45:35.4 on the Opera Fairbanks ‘Run of the Valkyries’ 8K. 9:10 minute miles are nothing to write home about, but were still enough to earn me 4^th in my age class. And the best part, I had a GREAT TIME!!!

Yes it was raining, and cold for summer time temps, but really that is part of what made it fun. Yeah that’s right. Part of the fun was the fact that it was wet and cloudy and gray and cold. And I was still out in it. Felt great to be out there, to feel my legs moving as I powered myself along, falling into a steady rhythm, and enjoying the sense that I was mighty and wonderful and free.

You see it was not always this way for me. I began running and biking as part of a general self improvement trend that many people fall into as they near 40. And like so many of the wonderful women I know I discovered my inner athlete. And she is a lot of fun. When you embrace your inner athlete you have a great ally in the war against the negative self talk and judgmental attitude toward body image. It is easy to not like yourself, as easy as sitting on the couch on a gray day and missing out on a fun morning of running with people who’s company you greatly enjoy. Yes it is a choice to do that run, and it does take more effort then sitting on the couch, but trust me you will like yourself way more if you get out there and do it. Channeling your inner athlete is more about being strong, sane, and happy then about being cute, perfect, or popular. You don’t have to win, but to reap the rewards, you do have to be out there.

Lots of people I know are out there, at all different levels. And they all share one thing, they are happy people. Yup my friends have shown me conclusively that your inner athlete makes you a happier person. Let me take a minute to give a shout out to some of these amazing women: Melanie, Ashley,* TC, Bobbi Jo*, Katerina, Sarah*, Andrea, Rhonda, Amanda and Kirstie. (to name just a few) And he may not be a sister, but lets send some love to Dane, who’s blogs are fun, motivational, and well worth reading.
As a matter of fact, read this post,

and then read this one.

See, I told you he was worth a read as you channel your inner athlete.

It is not always easy, but when did we as a culture start to equate easy with better? One of the little joys of running distance is watching the rabbits, young’uns, or newbies with no real sense of distance or the effort it takes, they blaze out ahead of me. And some will continue to dash to the finish long before me. That is the power of youth. But some will wear themselves out, and I will be there steady and secure in the knowledge of what my body can do for me, becuase I have done this before and know what it feels like. And with the faith that if I dig deep and really push I can get a little bit more. And near the end I will still be chugging along, passing them as they think to themselves, “wow a 10K is a lot longer then I thought!” Cause as you befriend your inner athlete you learn what you are made of and how very capable you are. With each new accomplishment you think, well I did that, now what can I tackle? Because you know that if you are willing to put the work into it, you can do it.

You don’t always win, but you are not supposed to. Come on, we all remember that episode of the Twilight Zone: A Nice Place to Visit. This life is not all about the winning. But you get out of it what you put into it, and that part is key. You can choose a competitive goal or one based on fun, either way you get the health benefits. Making peace with your inner athlete puts you in charge, lets you put energy and action into your life. The reward is not always in the winning, it is in the doing . And in the tons of ways you feel better when you are active.

And at some point in time you embrace your inner athlete and come to the realization that not only is it good for you, it is really good fun.  So be it slow or fast, pear or hour glass, tall or small, young or old, freckled, fine, funky, or phat…

*All together now, with an energetic smile*
~   that’s my body and I am sticking with it.

*Ashley, Sarah, Bobbi Jo, and I have all been cheering each other on for a few years now and will once again be competing in all 8 races of the Running Club North’s Flint Hills Series. I can not thank them enough for the continued support, friendship and encouragement.
Also, please consider joining Dew Claw Kennel in supporting Ashley, who is training to participate in the Nike Women’s Marathon as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team In Training
And Andrea, who is doing Team in Training for her fourth year.

Wanna Run? it is a great way to start being active, becuase it requires almost no gear, and can be done almost anywhere. For the price of a good pair of shoes (Don’t skimp, your worth it. For more on my thoughts about investing in gear read here) you can be out running tomorrow. Here are some good web sites with reliable information and good get started guides.