Donuts: Why I Run

I think of myself as a runner. Which is a bunch of baloney if you were to look at me. I could stand to lose, oh, 30 pounds minimum. I do run -- slowly -- and enjoy it immensely. It's just that I looooove me some donuts. And bread. Oh, and don't get me started on potatoes. Never met a potato I didn't like.

So, I started walking for exercise, or to increase my daily donut allotment, which got boring so I ran a little and now I enter a few 5Ks every year. I've completed three half marathons in the last two years. For the uninitiated, that's 13.1 miles. In a row. My laughable times so far:

2008 Historic Half: 3:08 and change; I cried when it was over, either because I was so proud or because I was just so glad it was OVER. If you ever run this race, do NOT be fooled by the elevation map. Rolling hills throughout and MILES of uphill at the finish.

2008 Indianapolis Monumental: 3:08 and change again; about 30 secs faster than the last half, and this with a broken toe, courtesy of my friend deciding to spar in tae kwon do with her sneaks on, so when we accidentally kicked each other my pinkie toe snapped like a twig. This is a flat course, thank God.

2009 Indianapolis Mini Marathon: 2:57; thrilling to break the 3-hour mark. Did great until mile 8, and I'm pretty sure my kneecaps fell out somewhere around mile 10. They say 35,000 people ran. It took so long for my stall to hit the start line that the winner had finished by the time I reached mile 1.

Now, I'm kicking off some training to get myself (a) lighter and (b) better endurance for the next Indy Mini, in May 2010. After which I will, of course, celebrate with donuts.