Running with MJ

You may not know this, but I'm a really bad athlete.

This has always been the case. Last finisher at the Olympic Day races in elementary school. Actually permitted not to play volleyball in high school gym class because I was so inept. I exercise regularly, but it doesn't really make much of a difference -- I was born a klutz and will remain one.

This relates directly to today's topic: my first run for the athletics badge. See, I'm no great shakes at most athletic events, but man, running. So bad. So, so bad. A dear friend of mine (actually, several dear friends) worked for the NF Endurance Team and, as a result, I spent a little time volunteering at their marathon expo centers. This got my confidence up -- I could hang around near runners, so this meant I could become one. Right?

I signed up for the Philadelphia Distance Run and, several months before, began to train. Really, I did. I did the whole shebang -- long runs, short runs, rest days, weights, everything. But it was ultimately kind of a disaster. I finished the race, but in the throes of such tears and vomit and cursing (sorry, mom) that I swore I would never run again. (See the happy faces in that photo? Lies!)

Anyway, this is to give you context for something very, very important: while you may see this and suggest that running only a couple miles in a not-very-brief period of time isn't so bad, trust me. It is.

Now then.

As you may have figured out, I've realized that, for the athletics badge, I will indeed have to engage in some athletic activity and so, this morning, I went on my first actual run in, well, years. And know what? It wasn't that bad. This isn't to say that I'm fast, or that I went very far, but I finished up feeling pretty good. I did indeed both run and walk (which I swear is okay!), but, once again, have pity on a poor wimp.

While I was out, I noticed a huge number of cops in and around Prospect Park, and a bunch of people wearing Michael Jackson memorabilia. Somehow, I had totally missed knowing about the Spike Lee-sponsored Michael Jackson birthday party going on today. (Conveniently, I had loaded up my iPod this morning with nearly entirely old Jackson 5 songs.) Clearly, I have to stop by later.