The whys

I went shopping for new shoes tonight. We took the whole fam-damily, as the store was having a buy one, get one half off sale, and my husband needs new shoes too. So we wrestled our overtired toddler through the aisles, trying on shoes and getting socks that won't give us blisters. You should see the blister I have on my heel. It was bleeding profusely after my run today. There is something morbidly empowering about running until your feet bleed. Either that, or I'm totally insane.

Which brings me to the main point of the post. Why am I doing all this? That's what somebody at the store said to me as I asked his wife about her shoe preference, although I think his exact words were, "Why you be doin' all this running?"

Why I be doin' all this running stuff, indeed. I gave him a short answer. "To stay in shape," I said. He said, "You already in shape, girl! Why you be runnin' for a marathon?"

A half marathon, I reminded him, but he just shrugged and kept looking at me, waiting for a good answer. I said, "So when I'm old, I can still get around! And look good doing it!" His wife said, "Yeah, so we don't fall apart, so we can keep going!"

I gave her a little powah to the sistah fist pump, and walked away, laughing.

But he brings up a good point.

I'd like to say that it's because of my PKD, and that's partly true. Exercise helps with pretty much everything in life, including blood pressure and kidney function, and training for a big race with people who are counting on me to show up at the trail head at 6:30 am ensures that I am getting that regular exercise. I'd also like to say I'm doing it because I have something to prove to myself and others, but if that were really true, there are less painful ways to make a point about how awesome I am. And none of them involve bloody blisters.

It is also true that exercising makes me less moody, and being stronger and more fit helps me feel better and sleep deeper. These are all good reasons to do what I'm doing.

But I finally figure out the real reason I'm doing this.

I just want to look good naked.

Not a reason I can share with a stranger in the Reebox store.

Nonetheless, I feel it's a valid reason as any.

My husband wholeheartedly agrees.