20 Miles .:. 20 Reasons

After our final, longest run, I'm ready.

During the 3 hours and 25 minutes we were running 20 miles on Friday, I had a lot to think about. So I started thinking of the reasons why I wanted to do this in the first place. Here goes:

20. It gives me something to talk about with other non-runners. And to blog about.
19. Making crazy runner friends.
18. Pre/Post-longrun pigout: I can eat anything I want for two days!
17. It's a great excuse to take off work and go to Chicago for a Friday.
16. Nothing makes you feel like you've given your all like taking a nap in the middle of the floor on a towel because you're too tired to shower, yet worried about stinking up your bed and carpet.
15. I can always find $150 for running shoes/gear.
14. I stink at dancing, but I can run like a rockstart to any song I want.
13. It's a great opportunity to learn all you ever wanted to know about your crazy runner friends' bodily functions. (If I had a dollar for every time the word "poop" was mentioned...) I know my body better than ever and can control it...most of the time.
12. Running into people you haven't seen since middle school is fun again.
11. Pain is weakness leaving the body. Snot is water leaving the body.
10. I look forward to getting frustrated at work because it gives me something to run about.
9. I've knocked out one of my "I can't"s.
8. I can justify a $100 massage.
7. The dull ache afterward that says "You're a badass."
6. Finding the perfect running song. For this week.
5. I can appreciate sitting down.
4. Being outside on a cool, sunny, day. And sweating like a mofo.
3. The phrase " , bitches! (or chubies)" never gets old.
2. Getting "the look" from other crazy runner people. They know.
1. Two words: Runner's high.

The night before I dreamed that I had to join a support group to come down from running all the time. Anyway, Ade and I kicked some ass on the Lakeshore Trail in Chicago. It was freezing. And we're awesome. And yes, we're wearing gloves and scarves.