Epiphany

So today I ran the Georgetown/Idaho Springs 1/2 Marathon and had an epiphany.  Let me explain......

I started out strong and was ready to beat my last time when I suffered a twisted left ankle at 2.3 miles that put me back a few minutes.  My big toe, with the partial toe nail, hurt every time we went down hill,  I gained a blister on the outside of my right pinky toe, then at mile 9 I started experiencing chaffing under my right arm and my lower back.  While all this was going on I was trying to keep up with the "pacer" while sweating and experiencing serious cotton mouth.

I started to reflect and thought, "Why the heck am I doing this to myself?"  Why do I exercise all the time to be healthy?  My Great Grandma Mary is 96 years old and she has not exercised a day in her life.  She laughs at me and my mom when we talk about how sore we are from class, and then we say we need to get to the gym to workout again.  This woman has lived almost her whole life eating toast and Dr. Pepper for breakfast and Cheetos and Dr. Pepper for lunch.  Then there is my Dad who is 70 years old and he eats a chocolate muffin for breakfast and drinks Diet A&W Rootbeer like it is water.  Sure he does his strength exercises every morning (for his calves, neck, and chest) but no cardio for him either.

So what have I learned from this experience?  Just that I must be an idiot for loving to put myelf through this on a daily basis.  If I stopped and lived like my Dad and Grandma I might live longer - but then what would I do with all the time I would have?  I think I'll just keep doing what I am doing.

I guess no lesson learned here........ :)