14 Minutes

I ran on a treadmill for 14 minutes today. I also walked briskly for 16, but this little story is really about those 14 minutes of running or what that represents. To be quite honest I shocked the heck out of even myself. Now, I know that for anyone out there who is even the slightest bit in shape and or even minutely truly athletic this little milestone of mine is well, slightly anticlimatic. I get that, and yet I'm undeterred.

This whole get the ass off the couch thing started when I saw a Wynonna Judd commercial several weeks ago. Do you know how that pains me to admit that? Wynonna, who seems like a nice gal on the commercial even if her highlights are a bit extreme admits to "not putting herself on the list". Yes, it is a commercial and all, but I get that. That speaks to me. Did I run out and buy the diet pill she was hocking, oh no, but I do understand what she's saying. Look folks, I may not be Heidi Klum or anything but gees, I'm going to get heart disease and be in triple digit jean sizes if I don't pay a little more attention to myself. I'm with you sister Wynonna.

I'm almost 40, the kids have completely taken over my life, the wee little small business I have eats up many more hours a week than the clock shows exist and then there's laundry too. It's no longer about being Heidi Klum, but rather just being on a list. An important list. A list where there is time for me each week to help make me strong. I swear my goal wasn't really to run anywhere for any length of time. If only my goals were that lofty, run a marathon, hah, get real. No, I was merely motivated by the fact that I simply would not buy bigger pants for spring. And, truth be told I was down to only about 3 pairs that fit. And now, I'm a little stronger. I ran 14 minutes today! I wore a pair of pants that have been collecting dust, they were not loose but I was in them. I was in them!

And if that isn't enough, I 'm hanging around the section of the gym where there are free weights. Free weights, did you read that? I'm going after that little line you get in your upper arm if you hang out at a gym long enough and lift something other than a donut and a three year old. I'm going after that feeling of a light spring in your step after climbing a flight of stairs rather than that old tired slumpy I need to slow down for a minute.

I'm going after that feeling where I'm important too. Being strong is just as great as volunteering at the school, just as important as a balanced checkbook.

Now does anyone have any great ipod shuffle tunes preferrably quite snappy that you can get a little sweat on and work through an endorphin high while feeling about 20 years younger than you really are? Seriously, I'd like your very best thump a bump tune ideas.