Las Vegas

Was everything it was supposed to be and more.

When I started this life changing way of life, I wanted to simply be able to finish a 5K by the end of the summer. Then Cindy asked if I wanted to walk Bloomsday with her and some of her friends. I think that was the catalyst that let me know I could do more than a 5k, I almost wrote JUST a 5k, but that is a lot to someone who is just starting out. It’s not JUST anything. It is JUST everything.

I came back from that weekend all about me in Spokane and immediately did two more 5k’s. With Jessica – which was and continues to be awesome. That was in early May. That is when I started thinking I could do a half marathon. And I was sure I could do it by the end of the year. And how much fun would it be to do that half marathon if it were in Las Vegas?

Then along came the Coburg half marathon in July and a walking class in Eugene. I finished my half marathon a lot sooner than I thought I would, but still was planning to go to Vegas, just because that was the ultimate goal of all this life “changiness” stuff.

Then during said walking class, I met this amazing woman (Sharon) who has been walking full marathons for several years. She started talking about some hiking trips her walking group was going on in August. I somehow managed to weedle my way into this amazing group of people, and while hiking with them became inspired to do a FULL marathon, and at the last possible minute signed myself up to walk Portland. Holy cow – 26.2 miles. Could I do it….YES! 26.2 really is a life changing thing.

So – after all this accomplishment, what was the point of Vegas? It was the REWARD. It was the fact that I can now do a half marathon and not want to die afterwards. It was the motivation to keep training and exercising and losing weight. It was going with one of my best friends, who also happens to be my sister in law. How lucky am I? It was getting my sister in law to sign up for the Seattle Rock-n-Roll FULL marathon. It was flying to Vegas by myself and not letting the terror of flight get to me. It was fitting into the seatbelt without wanting to die. It was being able to run, more than I walked. It was being with other people who love doing this “thing”. It was a lot of things that are hard to articulate.

I enjoyed every last moment of the trip. It was hard to be away at this time of year, and I won’t say that I will do this particular race again, but I will be going somewhere to run and walk again. Washington DC, Fargo ND, New York, Disney?

This stuff is empowering and living an empowered life is SO much better than just living.


Las Vegas highlights –

The Bellagio Conservatory – the polar bears out of carnations were awesome.
Dick’s – The Shame of the Strip
M and M Store – souvenir shopping for the kids
Rainforest Café – drinks after the run
The Race Tradeshow – matching shirts with Cindy
The Running Elvis’ - Beer and Elvis at the end of the race J
The Forum Shops – one can dream right
Walking and more Walking
Running and Walking 13.1 on the strip – the only time it’s been closed except for New Years
Going to sleep at 7:30 – yep I was tired.
Urban Outfitters – giggling over ridiculous stuff