Either I shouldn’t drink coffee really late at night OR I should drink it late at night more often. As I type this I’m laughing at the situation I put myself in because, well, I find it hilarious. In the caffeine and sugar rush at 11:00pm I decided to support my husband’s band as they perform at the AIDS Walk Phoenix & 5K Run by registering to walk the 5K. Feel free to imagine me laughing in my pajamas while I sit and type this at my makeshift desk at the kitchen table. Mwhahahaa.
I’m realizing a trend here.
In the fall of 2009, a classmate was coordinating the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk and she asked me to create a work team and fundraise. I was told I didn’t have to walk if I didn’t want to. So I registered and wasn’t fully committed to walking since I was given an out and since other people who had joined the team assured me they would walk and that I didn’t have to. The day of the event, the other people on my team texted saying they weren’t going to walk. After everyone had dropped out I felt somewhat guilty that no one from our team was even going to walk the event, so reluctantly I rolled out of bed, got dressed, and asked my husband to drop me off. Even as he was dropping me off he told me if I wanted we could just go home. I decided to do the walk and he wished me a great time. What I wasn’t prepared for was the feeling that I would actually ENJOY walking! I was groggy, somewhat upset, and just wanted to get this over with. About a mile in I magically had energy, I was feeling more upbeat, and I was striding past people…and then I began to jog. I jogged almost the remainder of the 5K and I felt great!
Of course that night I was sore having not prepped in anyway prior to the 5K (the longest I had walked straight was a mile around a mall!). But I found myself wanting to feel the way I felt when I began to jog and I registered for a half marathon. 
Can you see perhaps WHY I’m laughing at my current situation? I did successfully train and complete the P.F. Changs Half Marathon in January 2010. In the end, I’m very proud of my effort but it was VERY challenging both physically and mentally.
This exact type of behavior (late night decision making) is also somewhat to blame for beginning Bikram Yoga.
In the fall of 2012, my family was walking from dinner to a pet food store and along the walk we passed the Bikram Yoga Tempe studio. The sign in the window stated “Beginners and Walk-ins WELCOME”. Interested I walked into the studio, talked with the staff, took some information, looked at the pricing and decided I couldn’t afford it. Speed to the summer of 2013. In the middle of the night I saw a Groupon deal for the same Bikram Yoga studio. On a whim, I decided to purchase the Groupon. The Groupon came near to expiring when I finally told my husband we had to start our classes in the next couple of days or we lose the promotional value of the Groupon. And here we are…79 classes in having completed a 30-day challenge, and almost finish with a 60-day challenge and an 11-week challenge.
A 5K isin’t a half-marathon so I know it’s doable but it has been two months since I last walked more than 3 miles straight. Since I’ve started Bikram Yoga my steps per day have also decreased. I know I can walk a 5K. I think the issue is more about the commitment that I’ve made and wanting to be sure I follow through. If you want to donate to the team OR if you want to join the team and walk the 5K with me CLICK HERE. The link will take you to the team’s fundraising page for the AIDS Walk Phoenix & 5K Run.
I’ll be sure to post a follow-up and hopefully some pictures from the walk! Thank you for your support.
<3 Nicky
