I hate running, HATE it!! I get a lot of shit from clients and fellow trainers when I tell them this, but frankly I don't care.  I didn't say I hate puppies or babies. If you want to run, go right ahead I'm not stopping you I'm just not joining you either. Okay, so why do I hate it so much.  

There are two reasons, one its boring (for me) and two I hate the way it makes my body feel. I feel like I'm wearing gravity boots and every time I lift my foot it's being sucked back down.  Its not natural to me.  Oh wait, wait I have a thrid reason. I have big boobs and no sports bra on this earth can support/squish them to a level of comfort I'm ok with.

When I was in high school, cross country running was one of my P.E classes, how awful is that?!! Luckily my school backed onto a wooded area so a handful of us would take a detour and hide out till the final lap, the teacher never noticed I think she was off smoking a cigarette or five.  It did seem weird to me though, being as active as I am to have such a negative feeling about running. I don't hate cardio, I always find ways to elevate my heart rate. So what was it?  I thought maybe I'm just too in my head to run, that spiritual almost meditative state that runners get has always eluded me. With that thought in my head I signed up for the New York City Half Marathon, I'm going to train I'm going to learn to tune out the world and get "in the zone".  

Now prior to signing up for the half marathon I'd done a Spartan Race and a Tough Mudder, so I knew I could physically go the  distance. Anyway I started training and I enjoyed that, I like routines and I like being able to see progress, but by the time the race had come around I'd already run 11 miles and my body hurt so I kind of felt that was enough.  Even though I thought that was enough I knew I had to actually run the race, I was doing it for charity after all.

Race day! The picture is of me running, I was too cheap to get the non watermarked copies, I also think it's funny that it has proof in bold letters across the photo proof that I did run.

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Its kind of cool to be part of something so big, to be able to run through Times Square and have it completely shut down to you and your fellow runners, it's a New York moment I'll always cherish BUT I will not, ever ever run a race again!  WHY? I'll tell you why.  When the race was over my legs seized up almost immediately , I was in pain like I'd never felt before I felt like I had a fever.  I was desperate to go home. The only way out is by Subway and that means stairs, STAIRS!!! I shuffled sideways down several flights and then had to stand all the way home, which was probably a good thing as I may never have gotten up.  Fast forward to the next morning and I am sick as a dog, I'm in bed for two days with what feels like the Flu. It sucked! That was four years ago and I've not done a race since nor will I. 

About a year ago, maybe a little more I was given a 23 and Me DNA kit, I like most people believe our DNA structure can have a direct effect on our physical strength and limitations.  I spat into that little tube and waited about 4 weeks to see what I'd learn about myself. I get the email, my results are in I'm excited. It starts off, likely to have green eyes yes, dark features also yes, 90% British and Irish again yes. This was getting boring, I know all this.  I scroll through quickly then right at the bottom it says, likely not a runner! LIKELY NOT A RUNNER!! Sweet baby Jesus I've been vindicated. I needed to know more, why wasn't I a runner? Well it turns out my body doesn't produce ACTN 3, a protein the body produces to specifically aide runners and studies have shown that those of European descent have a smaller amount than most. This is probably why not too many europeans win Marathons.  I'm not one to gloat or say I told you so but I told you so!  The moral of this story is, always listen to your body it's usually never wrong.

So if you see me running down the street you better run with me because I'm probably trying to escape the Zombie apocalypse and you should too, but if you slow me down you're on your own...mmmmm brains.