I reached the second bridge on John Nolen drive this morning in 20 minutes. I was very pleased. It meant I was running faster. It's amazing how a body can catch up in 8 months after almost being sedentary for 3 years during pregnancy and after child birth.

I have always loved to run. If I have to choose a single image to remind me of a happy childhood, it would be the fast moving grass on my small flip-flopped feet. This carabao grass would either be from our farm or the public school yard beside the house where my maternal grandparents used to live. As kids we spent most of our weekends there. My favorite game then was playing tag with siblings and neighbors.

In junior high I managed to place 3rd in the 100 meter dash, accomplished with bare feet. Yes, I had my weird moments. I was afraid I would slip on the pebbled tracks if I wore my Grosby rubber (gym) shoes.

I also came in 6th place in a something (probably 500) meter dash while in college. I would've placed 5th and brought some points for the Fine Arts team hadn't another girl overtook me in the last 10 meters. Had I known I was fighting for fifth then I would have made it fifth.

When I was working in Manila in the periods when I wanted to lose weight I would get up at 4:30 in the morning and run around Virra Mall or SM Centerpoint. It was hard running in the Philippines with the heat and the humidity. Even in the early hours, after a couple of minutes of warm up I would be soaking in sweat already. And wearing an oversized cotton t-shirt to cover the bulges didn't help. Many times I would wish that the Philippines would be as liberated as the americans who can jog in their bras without fear of being heckled or getting catcalls. 5 years in the U.S. and I still have yet to find the guts to do that.

I have toyed with the idea of joining the Chicago Marathon. I don't think it would be impossible since Tom's friend Sheryl finished the same marathon at the age 50 and she's not athletic at all. Just very fit. She ran with her son. She joined at her son's urging which I find very sweet. I hope to have a relationship like that with Evan.

However there are 3 reasons why I am holding back on the possibility of doing it October of next year. #1 I am not sure where I can get the extra time to train. #2 I am afraid of wrecking my knees. I have suffered several different ailments (which later were cured in time) post-partum that it made me more aware how important it is to have a healthy body. #3 is pure vanity. At 38 I am afraid of sagging my facial muscles earlier than it's supposed to. That is why I just content myself with the elliptical machine for most of my cardio workouts.

We'll see. I have been scouring the cosmetic counters for moisturisers with collagen boosters or whatever, then who knows I might give this one dream some serious consideration. It just might be 26 kilometers and a beauty jar away.

Currently listening to: I Am Sam soundtrack
Currently reading: Organizing Your Life (Lockwood)
Currently watching: Munich (Eric Bana)