Sunday, April 19, 2009

Fit or Fail: Inspiration Edition

My friend Jeannie is totally making me look bad.

(She just can't help it...)

And it's not just because of the usual reasons (she's smart, pretty, and ALWAYS happy)...

First, you need some background.

Jeannie has two arthritic knees and a blood clot in her leg. These problems have lead to a lot of physical and emotional pain.

But she still manages to be positive and happy.

And you know what she did on Friday?

Ran six miles.

Me: Wait a second... SIX miles... non-stop?

Jeannie: Well, I walk for about 5 minutes in the middle, you know, to try and get the feeling back in my foot... but yeah... six miles.

Me: What the fuck, Jeannie? How is that even possible?

(I'm not a complete asshole. Seriously. I have just been a witness to many painful breakdowns because of her myriad of leg related health problems.)

Jeannie: I don't know... but I'm fine doing it. I go really slow, though.

Me: Jeannie, I just made it to 30 minutes on the elliptical, and I can't run for more than 3 minutes at a time... and I have FAKE arthritis in my knees!

(I told the doctor that I think that I have arthritis because my knees hurt. She told me I was just lazy... awesome.)

So Jeannie is officially AMAZING and I am... well... not.

Seriously, the girl never gives up. And she's never let some stupid blood clot keep her from participating in life.

(Sure, that 5K we did made her bed-ridden for 48 hours, but she still kicked ass at it.)

Later we were talking about The Biggest Loser.

Me: I don't like it because instead of being inspirational it just makes me sad because all of those 300 pound people can do more than me.

Jeannie: NO! When I'm on the treadmill I think, "If that 400 pound guy can run for HOURS, then I can go another mile..."

Me: Fine... so when I'm on the treadmill I should just think, "If Jeannie can run six miles, SO CAN I!"

Jeannie: EXACTLY!

Me: Great. You are officially my 400 pound dude.

Jeannie: YES!

So I tried it...

(Despite my feelings about running...)

I went to the gym the next morning and got on that treadmill.

(I asked Jeannie how she started this whole super routine and she said she started by running a mile...)

(Seemed a little ambitious to me... but oh well.)

So I started the treadmill (after warming up on the trusty elliptical) and ran... for three minutes.

Then I walked for three minutes.

Then I ran for three minutes.

And I continued until I reached a mile.

And the whole time I just kept reminding myself that I could do it. I could be like my awesome, wonderful friend Jeannie.

(I might have also cursed her name a few times... but that's the lack of oxygen talking...)

I'm not there... but someday we're both going to be going for the same "I love Edward Cullen" t-shirt and I will have be faster than her.

So I'll keep trying.

And I am VERY proud of you, Jeannie.

(I'm also proud of myself because I was going to make a bunch of jokes about how Jeannie is from Kansas and people from Kansas only run when the cows get out of the corral... but I didn't... because I'm respectful.)

(Wait a sec...)

(I know this wasn't a normal Fit or Fail post... but I'm hoping it will lead to some more FITs for my future lists...)

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