Run Like Hell

After I was laid off from my job back in May, I gave myself just one day to panic about my future. The next morning, I laced up my running shoes and took my emotions out on the asphalt.  I knew I had to stay upbeat and optimistic, and giving myself an endorphin boost through exercise seemed like a good plan of attack. Besides, one of the worst things about my old job was how I had so little time to exercise, and now I had endless amounts of free time.  I started thinking about how to get myself into better shape, and suddenly, I was contemplating running a half marathon.

I’ve never particularly enjoyed running, but I find it more effective than other workouts. So over the years, I’ve pushed myself into being a runner. And now, I decided it was time for me to try a long distance race. If nothing else, I figured I could at least cross it off my bucket list.

The training was tough, but I found my body adapted quicker than I expected. Even better, I felt productive. No responses to those job applications I sent out? Oh well, time for my next run.

This past weekend, I completed the half marathon. It feels weird to be done, actually. But the race went better than I expected. I didn’t stop to walk once—not even at 11.5 miles when my legs felt like they were about to fall off. When I crossed the finish line, I felt a sense of accomplishment that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Why am I writing about this on my music blog? Well first, because I need a place to brag, but mostly because I couldn’t have done this without my iPod. During the race, I had some pop-punk to pump me up, but I found the most effective music was epic movie scores, particularly the Inception soundtrack. Nothing like a Hans Zimmer score to keep me moving—I felt like someone would shoot me if I dared to stop running.  I highly recommend it for runners (or anyone who wants to make everyday activities seem like matters of life and death).

I won’t post the pictures of me running the race, as I look hilariously miserable. Also, I have to pay $15 for each non-watermarked version. (Why they think I would shell out money for photos of myself looking like I want to collapse is beyond me). But the picture above is me with my race buddy, aka my wonderful mom.

And one more accomplishment to brag about: I recently got a paid internship at Parents magazine and I am loving every moment of it. Things are looking up.