Anyone who knows me knows I'm an actress and singer. My friends know that my acting and singing does NOT include dancing. My family knows that I have two left feet and I sound like an elephant when I go up and down stairs. And Vic, whom I share my life with, witnesses me on a near daily basis trip over my own feet, smack my hands against things (as if I didn't know just how long my arms extended) and walk into door frames. And I wonder why I have shoulder problems! My experience with sports and physical activities when I was little is limited. I danced from 4-9ish and my first dance recital didn't involve a whole lot of dancing. Rather, as the kids around me tap danced to "Oh, You Beautiful Doll", I was busy playing with the enormous, floppy hat-thing on my head that kept falling off. Once it finally succeeded and fell to the stage, my fixation did not end. I proceeded to step on it, stare at it and kick it around with my feet.
A few years later, my parents enrolled me in a youth league soccer program through the local temple. Apparently I was really good at defense because I got to just stand there. Ok, so I know on defense there's normally a lot more to do than just stand there. But that's what I did (and I once got a certificate stating I was excellent on defense...I think they were just trying to make me feel better.) I was scared of the ball and any person coming towards me. I was really good at getting out of the way. I'm sure I was responsible for any goal scored on us. Another funny memory from this experience was when it was a cold day and my mother didn't want me freezing out there so she made me put on a sweatshirt OVER my required uniform. She called me to the side, gave me the sweatshirt and told me to put it on. Well, this sweatshirt just happened to be the same color as the opposing team's! I explained to my mom that I shouldn't put it on, but you know moms...So, I put it on. Of course the refs blew the whistle and made me take it off. How embarrasing!
Eventually I quit dancing and I quit soccer. Obviously I was not cut out for either. I do have to say thought that I regret that my parents didn't push the athletic thing more (even though I wasn't too good). The benefits of participating in a team sport are vast. I know it would have halped me socially. Social situations for me were always a REAL good time. Note the sarcasm.
Many years later I discovered that although physically adept I wasn't, I did have a talent. That of course was singing. I pursued this for a long time and still occasionally do. So, many years passed where I didn't think I'd ever have any athletic ability. Then I met Vic.
Vic is an amazing athlete and coach. He is very accomplished. A couple of years ago, after a little bit of a health wake-up call, we both changed our eating habits. Although he was coaching sports throughout the year, he wasn't exercising as much as he needed to be. Neither of us was. He decided to start running. He said it was the only thing in the past that ever produced results. Well, the supporter I am, I decided to run with him, two left feet and all! Of course I was also had that competitive edge going for me too...despite not being skilled in sports, I still enjoyed the excitement of competition; watching it and also being a part of it (think karaoke contests and auditions for lead roles). I felt if he's going to run, then dammit I'm going to run too and I'm going to keep up with him to boot! So, we began running. Vic loves competition as well and loves challenging himself. He also hates being bored. He felt if he's going to run, then he needed to have some kind of goal to look forward to and stive for. He had always wantd to run a 5K and now he had a reason to train for one!
We began going to the track at the local HS. I never imagined that I'd be able to run (I always twisted my ankles with any attempt in the past) but figured I'd try! I had to start off slow and go very little distance. But I was determined. No longer idle would I be! At first I would run just half a lap and then walk the rest, then run half and walk the rest. Eventually I was able to run a whole lap without stopping. Little by little my endurance built and after starting running in July, three times a week, we ran our first 5K in September. I was impressed with the both of us. We finished the 5K and didn't die! We became obsessed with running 5Ks. They're a lot of fun. They usually have refreshments afterwards and award ceremonies; it's an event. Plus it felt good donating to various charitable causes. It definitely made the training much more fun knowing we had something to look forward to! We get excited buying new running shoes and we were actually getting recognized by other runners at races (we felt cool). L'il Jess even started running with us...and she's good! Soon enough, she'll be running her first 5K!
In November, I ran a 5K and ended up coming in first in my age group! I actually won an athletic award! I received my plaque with pride. It was rather exciting for this self-professed klutz who's always hurting herself simply by breathing!
So, I guess in some sense I can now consider myself an athlete...with a still very loose usage of the word!
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