The Famous Last Words Challenge

Hellooooo Monday!!! To be honest, mine didn't start off too perky because, lately, I've done a terrible job keeping my weekend schedule more in line with my weekday schedule. Therefore, I'm exhausted by Monday morning when I actually have to get up and do stuff. Suffice it to say, it's a good thing that my running schedule has temporarily shifted to Mondays as Rest Days because I have no idea how I would have pulled off any kind of run today. Zzzzzzzzz ...

When I was finally coherent enough to read -- read, focus, tuh-may-toe, to-mah-toe -- I thoroughly enjoyed the theme of this morning's Distant Runners Facebook page as they posted the following question (all text in purple is theirs):

What were your "famous last words" before you were a runner?
Mine were "I have no desire to run a marathon, who would want to run for FOUR HOURS?"
How about "I could never do that!" (and now you're doing that).
Or "I only run when I'm chased" (and you do so without a chaser!)
Maybe "running is so boring" (and now its exhilarating!)

I had to giggle at the question because I certainly have my own famous last words! Here you go:

I don't run because it's boring and I'm not any good at it anyway. Perhaps I could give this statement some kind of validity had I ever really tried running for the sake of running -- not being timed in gym class, not racing friends where the only one worth anything is the person who won, etc. Just ... running. Jog, if you will. Just move and enjoy. No ... such an idea never occured to me because that's not what "real" running is, right? *sigh* The things we say to ourselves that keep us from participating is mind blowing.

And, when the idea of running finally entered the wee recesses of my brain as the most remote possibility that I would ever consider doing it, I had the following round of famous last words:

There is no chance I'm getting up out of bed early to do that. (Apply sufficient amount of disdain on the word that.) This one's a funny one because even though I did start running, I didn't drop this sentiment for quite some time. In fact, I remember complaining before my first 5K about how it started so early, and I wondered why in the world we couldn't start later. Of course, time and experience revealed that as the seasons change, so does the ol' temperature, and apparently people who organize races understand that starting a race of any distance later in the morning increases the chance of rising temperatures. Duh. I fully understood this issue as I embarked on longer distances and realized I needed to get over myself. It also turns out that running -- of all things -- is the one thing that gets me out of bed early on a weekend without my normal morning 'tude. Go figure.

Do you want to hear some other famous last words of mine? Check it out: I have no interest at all in getting a dog.

Yeah, I said it. I had my reasons, and they were good ones. I'm one to hold pretty tight to my own reasoning until I have evidence in front of me to reconsider. One fine Friday, out of the blue, God put such reasons right in front of me in the form of a runaway dog. That dog just looked at me, all happy and bouncy and fabulous, and it spoke directly to my heart reminding me that my original "no dog" reasons were no longer applicable and letting me know my heart could open to one.

Two days later, we had our girl:

"Let that be a lesson to you, mommy.
Never say never. SLURRRP!!"

This sweet girl had been in the pound for almost three weeks. Three. It's unbelievable to me that she stuck around there that long. I'm thankful for all who passed her by. Clearly, she was patiently waiting for us. Only a month later, she and I took our first running steps together. No dog? No running? Yeah, you don't have to plan for things to change ... embrace the good changes when they come to you!

By the way, 'want to see something funny?

Some ... thing's different!

I often pause for a moment and look at Elly when I change her bandana because she's a whole different dog without one! She doesn't look right. In fact, Lizzy can't even believe her eyes ...

"Why is the dog out there naked? I mean really ..."

I held very tight to my "no running" and "no dog" campaigns, but I'm so glad I kept my mind and my heart open to reconsider! And, with that, tomorrow, we run! The trainer and I will check in after!