Running in the Rain

Sugar and spice and everything nice...yep, that's me.  I can't get wet or I'll melt.  If it's raining outside, I'm inside.  In a way I always envied the pictures of people dancing in the rain, playing in the rain, kissing in the rain.  But, I'm not a wet and wild kinda girl.

As most of you know, I'm trying to get my stamina back up from being sick a week or so ago.  Mostly walking, and started with trying to jog 1/2 mile without stopping and working my way back up to where I was before getting sick.  Saturday, I was able to jog 6/10 of a mile.  Sunday is my day of rest.  Monday, it was raining.  I really was bummed, but my sister had said something to me the week before.  "sprinkles, won't hurt you."  Those 4 words were banging around inside my head.  I kept thinking "I know, but I can't get wet."  Then I swear someone beside me said. "why not?"  My answer...I don't know why.  I headed out the door.  I stepped out from under the carport, it was windy and almost cold.  Giving up on my glasses within the first few feet, because I didn't get the special lenses that are water resistant.  I placed them on top of my head.   The little rain drops weren't cute like you see in the pictures.  Little girls laughing and jumping in the rain.  Nope, they felt like stinging needles and it seemed like they were completely focused on my eyes.  I wanted to just close my eyes, but I had to see where I was going, so I decided to just jog with only one eye open.  I really wanted to go back in the house, I was completely out of my comfort zone.  The wind or maybe it was really called a nor'easter was blowing against me, making this jog a real struggle.  Talk about resistance.  I don't know how strong the wind was but it might as well have been 60-70 mph winds. At least that's what it felt like.

Finally, I made it to my turnaround point and with the wind and stinging needles tattooing the back of my neck I headed home.  

I will admit that it wasn't really as bad as it sounds.  I didn't melt.  It was actually nice minus the invisible tattoo.  Plus I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was able to jog 7/10 of a mile.  I was on track to reach my 1.1 mile distance by Friday.  Dark Skies won't cloud my day.

Then I woke up this morning to another storm... I got this!  Got dressed and headed out the door with my fitbit ready to go.  As soon as I headed down the driveway a huge clap of thunder scared the crap out of me.  I went back inside.  I had conquered jogging in the rain, but this girl doesn't like thunder and lightening.  I jogged up and down the hallway and around the living room.  I can do this outside, stay close to the house in case I see lightening bolts.  I'll just run around the circular driveway.  After a few laps, and no more thunder, I headed down the road, ran up and down the neighbors driveways, but just stayed closed to the house. Eventually, the song in my ears and the steady rhythm of my feet hitting the pavement took over, I got a little to adventurous and went the other direction.  Suddenly, BAM!  Right beside me, I felt the ground shake and I almost peed my pants.  Thunder makes you run faster.  I hurried straight to the house, my dog was barking at me like I was an idiot for being outside in the first place.  Whew, inside, safe and sound.

I checked my fitbit and I didn't know whether to be excited or disappointed.  I jogged, without stopping, without walking .96 of a mile.  So freakin close to 1 mile.  I was elated because I passed my goal for the day of 8/10.  But dang the weather.  If I would have gone down just 1 more neighbors driveway and back I would have made a full mile.

Oh well, I'm not going to dwell on the what could have been, instead I'm going to roll around in the glory of oh my gosh I beat, no crushed my goal for today!!!

In fact I think I'm going to go out and jump in a few puddles and play in the rain.