roar.

That's how I feel today. Let me explain.

I've made some really good friends on the Weight Watchers message boards over the last year (has it been a year already?). We chat almost every day, and motivate and encourage each other in a way that other people can't - because we're all in this together. We've branched out from the message boards and are now challenging each other on dailymile, which is a kind of athlete's social networking site where you can track your activity and that of anyone you're friends with. You can also join challenges, or create one! A few of us were talking the other night about how we're kind of in an exercising funk, and we decided to setup a walk/run challenge for the next month. Whoever gets the most mileage in, wins! Sounds simple enough, right? We figured if we were competing against each other, we would be more motivated to get out there and pound the pavement, so to speak.

Well, for the first week I was a total lazy bones. I logged like, 2.5 miles. Lame. I had been making excuses to not go out for runs, and I was falling behind in the challenge.

This morning, something clicked. I was looking at the challenge board (I often check in the mornings because I'm 5hrs ahead of these ladies so when I go to bed they're just getting out for their exercise. Oh also, I'm obsessed with looking at the challenge board. I'm a nerd.) and noticed that Bebe was at 16 miles already. 16! I was at 2. I wasn't really in the mood to run, but I had to do something, because this gap was only going to get wider and it would be impossible for me to catch up. So I decided to walk. I started out around my neighborhood, turning when I felt like it and ogling at the nice houses that I don't live in. Eventually I found a park and I knew I was at least a mile from my flat, since I've looked on a map for parks before and there really aren't any close by. I decided I wanted to run. I like running in the park, and I was in a park. So I ran through the park. On the other side of the park? A footpath on the River Thames! Sweet. Not only was I running in the park, but I was running in the park with a view. Before I knew it, I had run 15 minutes and still didn't feel tired. I felt like a rockstar. Then I turned back to go home and got slightly lost, so by the end my mileage looked like this:

Yes, that reads 9.54km. This would be an appropriate time for one of these: (((LTE)))

Oh yeah, and some of these fabulous ladies have blogs! I read them, and you should, too. Thanks to JB, Di, Kate, Bebe and Kelly (and the others who don't have blogs) for always giving me a swift kick in the behind when I need it most!