2/28/17: Saturday was my 5K benefiting colon cancer screening. I started training several weeks ago and I knew I could do three miles with no ill effects. At least in the balmy, non-winter weather we've had recently. And then the night before the walk, a cold front blew in. Crap. As you know from my previous posts, cold weather and RSD are mortal enemies. For a brief moment, I considered blowing it off. But the donations were piling in and the mission of the walk was very dear to my heart, so I set HAL to "stun" as a precautionary measure and got out my warmest workout clothes.
Saturday was a day of firsts. The first race since I was diagnosed. The first time since Mom's passing that I listened to the "fight" playlist I made for her while she was going through radiation. Yeah, that went about as well as you would imagine. (In case you need a refresher on why I made the playlist.). One other weird first - the first time I went out in public without talking to a single person for several hours. Most of you know me well enough to know that I am an off-the-chart extrovert who will strike up a conversation with anyone. But Saturday was just for me. When I walk for exercise, I don't listen to music or walk with a partner. I use the time for reflection and solving the world's problems. Truth be told, I have probably composed more than half of the posts for this blog in my head while walking. (When it comes to walking, I'm a loner, Dottie, a rebel.) And given the mission of the walk, I wasn't exactly in the mood to socialize. So I walked in silence. And it was just what I needed.
And the final first? The first time I voluntarily drank a beer. Well, half a beer. While I love wine and cocktails, I never developed an affinity for beer. I guess I didn't learn to drink it in junior high, or whenever it is you are supposed to learn to drink beer, but my New Year's resolution this year was to learn to at least tolerate beer. Yes, I know, most people resolve to lose weight, exercise more, or better themselves in some way. But, as you have figured out by now, I am not most people. And there are times my inability to choke down a beer hampers my professional and/or social life. At least, that's how I've justified it.
As I crossed the finish line, the first thing I saw was the tent for the local brewery giving out free beer to participants. My first reaction was "Come on - it is 9:30 in the morning!" My second reaction was "Too bad it isn't wine." My third reaction was "Oh, why not?" So I got my beer prize, sat on the grass, and gave it a go. And it wasn't bad. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad. Operation New Year's Resolution is officially in gear.
It took about 24 hours to warm up after the walk, and I had a slight flare up afterward, but all in all, I would say it was a success. Any day you can tell both colon cancer and RSD to suck it is a good day. One of the few chances I'll have to kill two birds with one stone. I have another 5K this Saturday, but this one will be very different - it is sponsored by a winery and is just for fun. I think I've earned it.
No comments:
Post a Comment