My Latest Fun Run... No, Really, It Was Fun!

If this doesn't look like fun...
then we probably wouldn't get along.

So when, where and by whom did organized races start to be called “Fun Runs”?  Don’t get me wrong:  I have found running to be fun at times… most often when I’m done doing it. 

The thing for me is, although I claim to be tooooodallly laid-back, dude, there’s certain aspects to me that ain’t so chill.  I have never been able to run a race “just for fun.”  Nope.  No matter how casual I tell myself that I’m going to be about it, it always turns out to be a competition.  No unsuspecting race participant is exempt from unwittingly becoming my arch rival.  Unless you’re waaaaaay ahead, leading the pack.  I know to stay within my league.

I usually target someone who has been just slightly ahead of me for a while and is wearing something they have no business wearing even if it is a stinkin’ “fun run.” 

Long stripey, fluorescent socks?  You think that’s cute, huh?  Well, I eat cute for breakfast.

Fluffy Tutu?  I will be making your ending a little less happy, princess!

Three piece suit and a briefcase (For reals, yo. Vegas Tough Mudder 2012)?  No way in Hades you’re finishing ahead of me.

So when I put out a 40-mile running challenge to help me and K celebrate turning 40 this year, I didn’t expect it to magically turn running during the blazing, hot southwestern summer into loads of fun.  And it really didn’t.  Until my final four miles. 

You see, several participants reached their 40-mile goal well ahead of me and I had promised to send the challenge finishers a super cool “Overcome Lazy” temporary tattoo.  Well, a few of those finishers happened to live within running distance of my house…. So, of course, I had to Overcome Lazy by literally running their tattoos to them instead of apathetically mailing them out.  I established a 4-mile route that would take me to each of their houses, which was just the amount of mileage I needed to finish up the challenge myself.  Upon my arrival, they were tattooed and then joined in on the rest of the run.

I finally earned my tattoo and got to join the ranks
of some of my favorite "fitspirations."

I know, right?  These are amazing, awesome, inspiring women! And it gets even better:  One of my friends participating was even 8-ish months pregnant.  She’s been walking instead of running for the 40 mile challenge and wanted to join us to add more mileage with us that day.  (Heck yeah, I gave her a tattoo early because she WILL hit 40 miles soon and she’s one of the best examples of Overcoming Lazy that I know of). 

And better still:  It was K’s intention to run with us but after the first pick-up, he decided he’d be more helpful if he took the little kiddos to the park until we were done.  Since he didn’t need the entire 4 miles to finish, he sacrificed his workout (and his sanity) in order to deal with six little rug rats allowing us ladies to jauntily finish our neighborhood fun run that truly was FUN!

I was relaxed, totally able to enjoy myself, laughing plentifully…

But - just for the record - I touched the house first.

The family that sweats together...
stinks together, I suppose.