A few months ago, I happened across a tweet from @stephanieruns and yes, she's a runner. We got on the topic of racing and, while I have only ever run a 5k Warrior Dash obstacle course and a 5k CIBC Run for the Cure, Stephanie's dedication to and passion for running inspired me to join her in the 5 Peaks Trail Run taking place next weekend. 

@stephanieruns @5PeaksRun LOL I just signed up!
— Diana M. (@TeacherMomOfTwo) April 13, 2014

But there's something I haven't told you.

I. Hate. Running.

I would rather scrub toilets than subject myself to the tortures inherent in running uphill, gasping for breath and feeling like my legs will give out at any moment. Now, I've never claimed to be in any kind of half-decent shape but I never thought of myself as being terribly out of shape either. My preferred physical activities are yoga, Zumba and bike riding. I have experienced many benefits from yoga including increased flexibility, body awareness and some muscle toning. Zumba and bike riding are fun ways to boost my cardio and are fairly low impact. But running... I find little enjoyment in running and what enjoyment I do find depends on where I run. I prefer running through wooded areas surrounded by nature. Which is why I'm looking forward to the 5 Peaks Trail Run at Rattlesnake Point. In the meantime, I'm trying to 'train' as best as I can and am using MapMyRun to keep track of my progress. Am I running this race to win? Not in the typical sense, no. I'm running it to challenge myself to do something I don't typically care to do to prove to myself that I can at least make it to the finish line knowing I gave it my best shot. Because that's what counts, right?