becoming bendy.

Here’s the thing I know: I need a community of people to help me, encourage me, keep me accountable, make me laugh and dust off the truffle powder and get back up. Community truly rocks.

So, I’m sharing my becoming bendy journey in 2012 again here on 37days. I hope you’ll join me.

One thing I know about myself: I like goals. Like races. Or check-off boxes. They keep me moving. And in 2012, in addition to more yoga and more vegan and this amazing class, my goal is to run a race every month. And by “run” I mean (at least for now) “walk” and by “walk” I mean “walk slowly.” Tess has expressed interest in joining “Girls on the Run” this year, which is my main motivation.

I finished #969 out of #969 at the 10K I just did with an amazing group of women in Asheville. You know why that makes me proud? Because I showed up. In torrential rain and cold, I showed up and I finished that sucker. Showing up is what matters.

What I loved about that race–besides the women who came from Texas and Virginia and North Carolina and Alabama and Indiana to participate with me–was that as we got to Mile 2, the runners were passing us going the other way having passed Mile 5–and so many of them shouted “Good job! Looking great!” and “Keep it up!” It was absolutely fantastic. Don’t ever forget to do that for other people. Truly.

Here’s my growing list of races for 2012. I hope you’ll join me at one of them. Fling your heart in and your body will follow.

January 2012 – Asheville, NC / January 21 – Isaac Dickson Hot Chocolate 10k

February 2012 – Fletcher, NC / February 19 – Frostbite 10k

March 2012 – Charleston, SC / March 31 – Cooper River Bridge Run

April 2012 – TBD

May 2012 – Cincinnati, OH / May 6 – Flying Pig Half-Marathon (such a fun race! I walked it in 2009 with friends from around the U.S.)

and Atlanta, GA / May 20 – Iron Girl Triathlon (I’m not letting the fact that I don’t swim, bike, or run stop me)

June 2012 – TBD

July 2012 – Asheville, NC / July 28 – Belle Chere 5k

August 2012 – Valdese, NC / August 11 – Great Waldensian Footrace (who could refuse a race with that name?!)

September 2012 – Asheville, NC / Sept 15 – Asheville Citizen Times Half-Marathon and 5K (I am going to run that sucker!)

October 2012 – Nashville, TN / Oct 20 – The Color Run (OMG, I cannot wait for this madness)

November 2012 - TBD.

December 2012 – TBD.

Becoming bendy is a way of living, not a diet or a week-long boot camp. You may not ever want to do a race. That’s okay. Just let’s move every day in 2012 for 30 minutes or more and be utterly and fantastically proud of it even if you’re #969 out of #969. Move it or lose it. Show up for yourself.