How I (Body) Glide Through Life

I remember when I was in fourth grade, and part of the physical education program required that all students complete a 1-mile run or walk. The run was timed, and the time factored into our report cards.

I dreaded that run. Despite the fact that I was a soccer player and a softball player at the time, I hated the thought of running even a quarter-mile, let alone a full mile. And when the day came, I wheezed and jogged my way through the mile requirement.

All this is to tell you I am NOT a born runner. Which is why every run I complete, whether it’s 1 mile or 10 miles, I feel proud of myself, and proud of my body for allowing me the pleasure of running.

(me completing the Danskin SheRox triathlon, thanking my fans)

Tonight, I did 8 miles; a distance that seemed impossible even 3 months ago. In fact, the day before my 28th birthday, back in March of 2008, I posted my 28 goals for 28 years. One of them was to run 5 miles straight.

Done and done. The next big goal is 13.1 miles, at the Walt Disney World half marathon. And one thing I’ve learned along the way? Use Body Glide. And lots of it.

If you’re squeamish, or don’t want to know that runners have tummy troubles, constant aches and pains and some of the most wicked cases of chafing that you’ve ever seen … well, just skip this paragraph. If you’re still here, you probably know that the things I listed above are just the MINOR inconveniences that come with pounding the pavement. The tip about Body Glide? Take my advice. Whether it’s triathlon, cycling, running or even long walks, rubbing some of this goo on will save you a lot of pain and scabbing later.

Here because you’re a foodie? Be sure to check out this great list of resources, from Mashable. It’s full of some of my favorites but has some new sites, too!

If you’ve read through some of my previous posts, you saw that I’ve tried some of the trendiest workouts out there, including all of Jillian Michaels’ programs and P90X. I have one week left of P90X, and as soon as it’s done, I’ll break down the good, the bad and the results. But if you just can’t wait, here’s a peek (and potentially a divorce-inducing series of photos — love you, honey!) at the yoga section of the workout. And, as you’ll see, even man’s best friend can take part.