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I am not a runner. I have never been a runner. I loathe running. The very thought of running makes me want to throw up. I love my walks In fact, I lost 45 pounds, just from walking. I actually resent feeling like I must be somehow inferior when I am out walking and everyone else is whooshing past me. I simply have no interest in taking it to the next level, so to speak.
So then, why? What the? Where is this coming from?
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See, I am horribly sentimental. I always give her butterflys for her birthday, because there is this song by Martina McBride called, She's a Butterfly, and when I first heard it I knew it would have to be a special song about Nicole. And you need to know that I have a hero, and her name is Nicole.
Still, this isn't making a lot of sense to you. Why would I want to take up running? Well, I also have a really awesome sister in law. A couple of years ago she had back surgery, twice. The first one failed. Within a year, I believe it was, she ran RAGNAR. I don't think she had ever run before. Before her surgery she was literally confined to bed. She couldn't even sit in a chair or walk or anything. Yeah. Wow! At this point, between the two of them, I'm feeling like a pretty big wimp, right?
So, Nicole finally has the chance within her grasp of going to the Paralympics in Sochi Russia in 2014. This has been no small feat. The para-snowboarding athletes have been fighting for this for like, 10 years. It's been a huge uphill battle. And at the very moment when all hope seemed lost, a miracle came about and Russia changed their mind and now they are going.
When my SIL was training for RAGNAR the idea popped into my head that if snowboarding did ever make it in to the Paralympics I would run a race for Nicole. So now here it is, and I guess I have to run. Because I am so sentimental, this is both very literal, and very figurative for me. I have some big goals. But dang it. If my one-legged sister can snowboard (which I tried once BTW) at the Paralympics, then this two-legger can run, right?
There's a number of reasons I see for doing this. Maybe a little healthy sibling rivalry, perhaps. Or maybe I can help give Nicole a shot in the arm once in a while when things are feeling a little tough for her. Yeah, while she is amazing, she has those days too. Or, maybe I can help get her name out there because she needs exposure for her cause. (The para-snowboarders, unlike many other olympians, are completely on their own when it comes to funding). Or, what would be the coolest thing of all is if I could figure out some way to turn this venture into some sort of fundraising campaign for her (and the other para-snowboarders). I'm not exactly sure what this could become because I've never done, or been involved with anything like this before. But I guess it's time to get huffing and puffing. First order of the day is to pick a 5k and find a training schedule that will work for me. My skill level is like zero, nothing, never done it, running for idiots. But whatever this is all about, the only thing I know is Nicole is a survivor. Truly. She doesn't climb mountains, she conquers them. It's just what she does. So this is just what I'm going to do.
So now you kind of get it. The shoes, the butterflys, the title of this blog. This oughta be interesting...
To hear "She's a Butterfly" by Martina McBride click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W41OSTgrfNQ&feature=related
And please check out more about Nicole and her cause at http://www.nicoleroundy.com/
Check back to see what happens...
(oh and sorry Nicole, hope you don't mind that I stole the picture from your Facebook page) ; )
(oh and sorry Nicole, hope you don't mind that I stole the picture from your Facebook page) ; )
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