I'm halfway there, I bought the shoes!
Ever since my sister ran that marathon, I have been thinking about goals. I'm so proud of my little sister for setting a goal and going for it. She's inspired me to look at my life and see if there's a goal I can set, too. (I can guarantee it won't be a 26.2-mile marathon!)
When I started chemo last year, and continued on through surgery and radiation, and then again with this last surgery, so many people said to me, "Oh you're amazing" and "You're inspiring", etc. (I'm not bragging, I'm making a point with this!) While I appreciated the compliment, my answer was always, "Thanks, but I don't feel that amazing" (or "inspiring" or whatever adjective they used). Because I really don't. With cancer, you do what you need to do to get through it. I chose to get through it with as many smiles and jokes and bits of normal life as I could. That made it easier for me.
So this cancer thing, or rather enduring the treatment for this cancer thing, that wasn't a goal I set and met. It was something I had to (and knew I could) do. It doesn't count as a goal. I want to set a real goal for myself. Something that will challenge me. And since I need to work some bone-strengthening exercise into my life (remember: no ovaries, family history of osteoperosis), I've been thinking it will be to run, not walk, this next Race for the Cure.
Have I mentioned that I'm not a runner? I've done one 5K in my life: I was 22 and looked great in my spandex running shorts, and there were cute guys on my team, so it didn't matter to me that I walked most of it and ran only a bit of it. I was big on aerobics through most of my 20s and 30s, but never got into running.
So this weekend, I bought myself some very cool and expensive running sneakers. (I actually had to buy a size 10-1/2, but that's another story. I won't bore you with my flipper feet, not today.)
These great running sneakers are my incentive to work on this new goal. I can't wear them until I'm really doing some running. I've been walking at least every other morning for over a week now. Today I even ran a bit. (OK, OK, I confess! It was all of 15 seconds, from our next-door neighbor's mailbox and across our lawn. I wanted to catch John as he backed out of the driveway....had to steal a smooch before he left for work! But still, there was some running going on!)
I've got 30 days to make something of this goal. I know the Race for the Cure isn't until May, but the shoe store only gives me 30 days for returns. Guess I need to pick up the pace a bit and work some running into my walk, so I can keep my cool new running sneaks.
It does feel good to have a goal. Thanks, Susie, for being so inspiring!
When I started chemo last year, and continued on through surgery and radiation, and then again with this last surgery, so many people said to me, "Oh you're amazing" and "You're inspiring", etc. (I'm not bragging, I'm making a point with this!) While I appreciated the compliment, my answer was always, "Thanks, but I don't feel that amazing" (or "inspiring" or whatever adjective they used). Because I really don't. With cancer, you do what you need to do to get through it. I chose to get through it with as many smiles and jokes and bits of normal life as I could. That made it easier for me.
So this cancer thing, or rather enduring the treatment for this cancer thing, that wasn't a goal I set and met. It was something I had to (and knew I could) do. It doesn't count as a goal. I want to set a real goal for myself. Something that will challenge me. And since I need to work some bone-strengthening exercise into my life (remember: no ovaries, family history of osteoperosis), I've been thinking it will be to run, not walk, this next Race for the Cure.
Have I mentioned that I'm not a runner? I've done one 5K in my life: I was 22 and looked great in my spandex running shorts, and there were cute guys on my team, so it didn't matter to me that I walked most of it and ran only a bit of it. I was big on aerobics through most of my 20s and 30s, but never got into running.
So this weekend, I bought myself some very cool and expensive running sneakers. (I actually had to buy a size 10-1/2, but that's another story. I won't bore you with my flipper feet, not today.)
These great running sneakers are my incentive to work on this new goal. I can't wear them until I'm really doing some running. I've been walking at least every other morning for over a week now. Today I even ran a bit. (OK, OK, I confess! It was all of 15 seconds, from our next-door neighbor's mailbox and across our lawn. I wanted to catch John as he backed out of the driveway....had to steal a smooch before he left for work! But still, there was some running going on!)
I've got 30 days to make something of this goal. I know the Race for the Cure isn't until May, but the shoe store only gives me 30 days for returns. Guess I need to pick up the pace a bit and work some running into my walk, so I can keep my cool new running sneaks.
It does feel good to have a goal. Thanks, Susie, for being so inspiring!
posted by KT @ 10:30 PM
3 Comments:
At 11/6/07, 2:07 AM,
lahdeedah said…
Katie, I'm behind you all the way! Keep us posted on your progress!
I agree with you that going through breast cancer is not like setting a "real" goal and achieving it. But making the decision to handle it with as much grace and humor as you can muster...like you have...that's a real achievement.
At 11/7/07, 7:31 AM,
Anonymous said…
Size 10 1/2?? I just bought a size 11 for the first time in my life. It's a real drag.
At 11/8/07, 9:19 PM,
Jenster said…
Katie - You are inspiring and brave and all those words people use about you. I know what you mean - we do what we have to do so we don't feel we're any of those things. But the truth is we really don't have to do what we do. We could cave in on ourselves and wither away. But we choose not to. So that makes us brave and courageous and inspiring. And on another level those of us in the BC Club inspire each other. So yeah. You're all those things.
Good luck with your running goal!! I used to love to run, but knees say no. So I'll be walking the Race for the Cure in May. I'll cheer you on, though!!!
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