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Color Me Rad: Call It Progress

Where to begin?

I am trying to do things that I may (definitely) not be good at instead of waiting until I am magically perfect before attempting any sort of anything where others may see. Example: ultimate frisbee. When I started last summer, I was by far the worst player on the team. Now I'm just mildly the worst player. Improvement! Progress! Growth!

(hurrah for me)

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One time in Vancouver, I signed up for a 5k run called the "Turkey Trot." I jogged a few times, and planned to do it with my lovely friend Wendy, and then I got a migraine the night before, and had a terrible sleep and felt ill and didn't run. Although this was disappointing, it was also a relief. It is the closest I've come to a "race" of any sort since junior high track and field, where I am fairly certain I never placed better than last.

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People often think I am athletic, because my limbs are gangly and scrawny. This is not the truth. Mostly, I have avoided sports out of insecurity and junior high emotional scarring. Which brings us back to point #1: doing things that I might not be good at.

I am a grown woman, and I want to make decisions that are intentional and thoughtful and rooted in love, rather than compulsive choices based out of old habits and insecurities. This has apparently started with physical fitness and will hopefully spill over into other areas of my life... (

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The point: Color Me Rad, a 5k run like no other. Not a race, even. No timers. Just race bibs, white shirts, and a whole lot of colour.

Some photos:
L-r: Leaving the house with Karen, Aisling at the starting line, running through a colour bomb station, post race awesome.

As for the running part...it was hot as hades out on Sunday, and there wasn't a spot of shade on the path, and there were thousands of runners/walkers, and I definitely got a stitch in my side (inhaling coloured cornstarch, perhaps?), so I took a walk break or two. But I ran the vast majority of it, and I think our time was around 35 minutes, so next time (see what I did there), I will choose a race that isn't in the summertime or has lots of shade, and maybe less powder being thrown in my face. Also, thanks Karen for slowing down to stay with me. Youthebest. No, seriously.

Look at that, I'm doing things!
More to come. Like bicycles and maybe karaoke.

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