I was forced to confront a hard, bitter truth yesterday.
It was a tough pill to swallow - not unlike the zinc tablets that I try to swallow without water only to find them sticking at the back of my throat and releasing a nasty, metallic taste and making me gag. I do this because if I had water I'd have another cup to wash up. Yes, I can be that lazy that I'd rather gag than wash up a single glass.
The truth that I learnt?
I run like a girl!
And I don't mean that in a good way. As in 'I am woman hear me roar'. Or in a tough, feminist, armpit-hair-growing, anything-a-boy-can-do-a-girl-can-do-better-while-knitting-the-family-sweaters-and-making-a-gourmet-dinner-because-I'm-girl-therefore-I-can-multi-task way.
No I mean in the running-like-I'm-wearing-too-small-Barbie-high-heels-and-flapping-my-hands-like-I've-seen-a-mouse style of running.
I had an image in my head when I started running hills and trails again of how I looked. That image had my muscular quads powering me up inclines. I was as sure-footed as a mountain goat - leaping over rocks and roots with ease. I was strong and tough - without having to have a tattoo to prove just how strong and tough I was.
Then I saw the picture that my squad-mate Trudy took on yesterday's run. It totally shattered my delusion.
And because I'm all about honesty and openness on this blog, I felt I had to share the bitter truth. Even though I will lose all my street cred and hard-core reputation.
Shameful isn't it?! And this was on a relatively un-technical part of the trail. Heaven knows how bad it looked on the tough bits.
The other photo she took was much nicer. Even though I was holding onto that tree for dear life because I'm a little bit scared of rugged downhills, I could at least manage a smile and a nonchalant pose that gives the illusion that this trail-running caper is a breeze.
So there you go - as a trail runner I've got a lot of work to do. And I will start by trying to get the hand-flapping under control.
Yesterday's photos weren't all bad, though. I managed to snap this one of Toby who's trying to step up and help more around the house now that Sam's gone. He decided that he could help bring in some of the groceries. Those king-size toilet rolls were a challenge but Toby isn't one to give in easily. He just clamped his jaws down hard and wrestled them inside.
We will probably have to tear the first few sheets off a couple of those rolls.
