Three Things Thursday: "Do One Thing Every Day That Scares You"

This has always been one of my favorite quotes from Eleanor Roosevelt.  I don't know what it is about this year or the last 2 years that made me inch outside of my comfort zone. Last week, I definitely went outside of my comfort zone and just did these three things that seemed pretty scary to me at the time.

Submitting drawings to a juried art show - my first time! 

It's always a huge gamble, putting yourself, your art out there.  It makes me feel a little vulnerable which scares me a little.  I guess my art can be a little personal and the 3 drawings I submitted were a bit close to me.  I had been going back and forth between "should I?" and "should I even bother?" for the last 3 weeks.  Two days before the deadline, I decided, the heck with it, I don't want to end up thinking "what ifs" which is worse.  So I paid my fee and emailed my drawings and hoped for the best. (Update:  My drawings were not accepted into the show.  Well, at least I tried, right?  Need to try again next time!)

SIGNING UP for my FIRST HALF MARATHON :O) 

Deep down, my sister and I are trying hard not to throw up.

I was at the Ukrop's Monument Av. 10K Expo with my sister last Friday to pick up my race packet when we saw the SUNTRUST Richmond Marathon booth.  I had been thinking about running my first half marathon in Richmond for weeks.  Somehow, seeing their booth made me believe it was a sign that I should sign up.

So I signed up for my first half marathon, before my first 10K race with only five 5Ks under my belt.  What was I thinking?  Well, if Flea, from Red Hot Chili Peppers, can run the Buffalo Run Half Marathon and Drew Carey, who signed up for his first half marathon, had the guts to do it, then why not?  Right?

Doing the 10K race anyway, despite not being able to really run the whole way.

Me in yellow, yards away from the finish line, praying my painful calves wouldn't give out on me before I crossed the finish line.

My first 10K race wasn't exactly how I planned it.  I planned on running it.  Instead, I HAD to walk/jog it.  My physical therapist advised me against running it to prevent a relapse on my SI Joint Dysfunction.  After I got over the huge disappointment, my rational adult side of me knew I couldn't just skip the race.  I had raised money for the Massey Cancer Center, and I just couldn't disappoint my friends who had donated money in memory and in honor of someone they know who was touched by cancer.

So when my wave start group crossed the start line, it took a great friend and a lot of mental strength to keep me at a jogging pace and to slow to a walk at each water stop.  The ironic thing is, my lower back and ITB on my right leg did not bother me at all.  It was my calf muscles that started twitching and totally scared the crap out of me!  I did not want to give up.  I wanted to finish even if I had to walk.  So I slowed down to a walk whenever my calves started twitching.  It was painful physically, mentally, and spiritually because the rest of my body was saying, "go, you have the energy!  You have the cardio!  I know I can do this!"  But it was my calves that totally stopped me.  So I ended up walking more than jogging.  I almost walked over the finish line and I was like, "NO!  It can't be over!  I feel like I can keep going!"

But I finished and I did it.  It's done.  There is a next year.  But man, was that a tough race result to accept.  Well, it is what it is and at least I am rest assured I will have many more miles in front of me - risking everything for my first 10K was not worth it when I have a half marathon race coming up in November.

Left Side of the Brain is Calling

Been itching to get back to drawing regularly again.  I've been doing quick and dirty drawings on my sketchbook while waiting in the car at the school's Kiss N Ride long line of cars so I can pick them up early for their after-school activities.  I started doing this in the beginning of March out of boredom while my 3 year old napped in the back.  I drew whatever was in front of me, no matter how boring it was - a tree, a house, the SUV in front of me.  Like running, I needed to stretch my drawing hand and get used to it again, but by the time I got started, it all came back to me, and I was starting to have some fun.

I started to go to the Kiss N Ride line early so I can draw longer than 15 minutes.  Like running, drawing relaxes me.

So with drawing and art actively back in my life came these 2 juried art shows that I just could not get out of my mind.  One is at The Soundry called "Embodiment," a figure art show which I am really excited about!  I have an older piece that I want to submit along with a newer piece that I want to create.  The other juried show is at the Greater Reston Arts Center, and the theme is "BITE: Identity and Humor."  I am not so sure about making the deadline for BITE, but I am intrigued by the challenge of how to use humor in dealing with race and identity. We will see how this part of my journey goes.  I'm excited and nervous at the same time!