She's Going the Distance....

Melinda Mae by Shel Silverstein

Have you heard of tiny Melinda Mae,
Who ate a monstrous whale?
She thought she could,
She said she would,
So she started in right at the tail.
And everyone said,"You're much too small,"
But that didn't bother Melinda at all,
She took little bites and she chewed very slow,
Just like a good girl should...
...and in eighty-nine years she ate that whale
Because she said she would!

There is something to say about Melinda Mae eating the monstrous whale. She set out to do something and even though it took her a reeeeeeeeeeally long time she did it because she said she would. This poem to me is two-fold. One, it talks about literally doing something you said you were going to do and doing it. And keeping your word. Second, goal setting no matter how long it takes.

I am big advocate of keeping your word. If I say I am going to do something, I do it. I'm reliable like that. And I had said I was going to run four miles and I did. Now, don't get me wrong it sucked the entire time I was doing it. Again, another complete and total mind fuck where my brain was trying to convince my body that I wasn't able to keep going. I ended up focusing on this silver knob on one of the weight machines to concentrate to get my head in the game. This isn't the best idea when there is someone on the machine and you're running with this intense look on your face, staring in their direction, face red as a beet and breathing heavy. I hope the old guy knew I was really determined to run the four miles and not oddly checking him out.

Four miles is the longest distance I have ran so far and I am working my way up to a 10k. For those of you who don't know how far a 10k is it's like a million miles. Ok, maybe not that far. More like 6 1/2 miles. For someone who at the beginning of the year didn't even know how to run, I've come a long way. I appreciate all the supportive people I have and the great networks of friends that encourage me and inspire me.

I'm going to keep trying to run four miles for a few weeks and try to get a decent time, where then I will work up to five miles... then six.. then six and a half.... and maybe by the time I get to the 10k, it will be time to run the Cops and Joggers 5k in October and I will be the leader of the pack. Ok, let's be realistic here.....I might not be the leader, but I won't be at the very end either! The one in the middle is the green kangaroo. I'm cool with being a green kangaroo.