The Embarassment Factor

There may be something I forgot to think about when I decided to run a half-marathon. I thought about the lifestyle changes--getting up earlier to work out, making sure I drink tons of water, watching what I eat with more diligence. I thought about the possibility (and certainty) of pain that would come from pushing my body past its comfort zone. I thought about the runner's high that I would hopefully get one day to help me push through. I thought about a lot of things. The one that I left out happens to be a big one: the embarassment factor. Now, I know that my "running form" as it is as the moment is awful, but I expect that form to improve with time. And I know that the short, teeny, tiny distance I can run right now is a bit embarassing, but once again--will improve with time. What might not improve is my ability to fall down at any given time.



For the full effect, I think we need to go back about 15 years. Here's a brief history of my more momentous falls:

1995--8th grade--fell down a flight of stairs at school in front of all the cool kids

I've blocked out high school as a whole, so nothing from then...

I seem to have stayed on my feet pretty well in college (unless you count the time I fell off a horse and hurt my rear end so badly I couldn't sleep on my back for a week), so that leaves seminary to now:

2004--the Haunted House incident. I went to a haunted house in Atlanta with seminary friends, and one second I was walking. The next second I was flat on the ground. It was not enjoyable. I fell in front of a TON of people waiting to get into the house, and when I rolled over onto my back a person dressed like a ghostly something was standing over me waving his arms and tattered sleeves in my face. I almost hit him. My friends were doubled over with laughter. I think it still makes them laugh to think about it.

2008--the Ski Trip--taking the youth group skiing was harder than I thought it would be. Turns out, you need to learn how to stop in ski school. I didn't actually grasp that. And when I got the top of bunny slope, I fell off the lift. I stood up and tried to go around the curve to get to the top of the hill, and I fell down about 58 times in the span of 20 feet. It was so bad that the most patient person I have ever met (Sara!) left me. I ended up taking off my skis and walking down the mountain (I use that term loosely here). But even then I wasn't safe--a snowboarder ran into me and I landed on my rear end once again.

2008--the Rock Climbing disaster--ended with my right leg fractured below my knee. Enough said.



Present Day--So with all of this, why did I think now would be different? Yet I remain hopeful. So I get up this morning, and I'm going to the Baptist Church to walk around their exercise room (it totally rocks that they have a free track/exercise room for the community!). I get out of my car. It's cold outside. Not just cold for Mississippi, but stinking cold. It's in the teens in the morning here--very cold for south MS. So I'm cold, and I start to do my little hippity hoppity jog inside to wait on my walking buddy. What I failed to notice was the ice on the sidewalk. So my feet do the Fred Flintstone for a while, and I knew it was coming. I just couldn't stop it. I landed on my right hip and right hand. And I must say that the first thought that crossed my mind was: "What will Laris say?" Laris is my new yoga instructor, and having been to my first class last night in I don't know how long, I'm wondering how my fall will harm the good spinal work I did last night. Or maybe that work actually helped me this morning. Yeah, I'll go with that one for now. Well, tomorrow's another day. Hopefully one where I'll stay on my feet.



And my grandfather should be in surgery right now. Please pray!

Talk to y'all later.

Thanks for reading & following & writing me messages. It means so much to me.