Feeling Cross

Often, the brilliant minds over at Runners' Lounge seem to be able to see exactly what's on my mind. Almost as if there were some thing on the internet where they could read my thoughts; I don't know how they do it.

Anyway, this week for Take It and Run Thursday, the theme is Cross Training. To be honest, I'm really not into it. Like Tom said a few days ago, "I'd rather be running." But now that I'm about to start using FIRST for this fall's marathon, cross training is going to be an essential part of my preparation.

I know what I need to do: bike, swim, or maybe walk. And I get why - it'll help strengthen my body and allow me to have "active rest." I'm just not enthusiastic about it. If only my regular life could be considered cross training. Thus, I propose Betsy's Real Life Cross Training Program:

• Carrying all of the groceries into the house in one trip.


• Having endless "battle fights" with Jack and his ever-growing collection of toy swords. Bonus effort points for not losing my mind in boredom.


• Shoveling snow. Sure, it's May, but I'm not convinced it won't snow again, like, tomorrow, given the winter we had.


• Cooking dinner with one 30+ pound boy hanging on my leg.


• Not making sarcastic comments when it would be inappropriate to do so, tempting though it might be, particularly at work.


• Folding and putting away laundry.


• Suffering through "Your call is very important to us" on-hold purgatory.


• Updating my blog entries (though considering this is my first post since Friday, I might have to focus on other things).


• Lugging Jack to my mom's house on days in which he insists that I carry his gigantic bag of toys, Roary and three other stuffed animals who are now Roary's good friends and Roary cannot stand to be parted from them, a huge toy pirate ship, two costumes, a snack, and Jack himself, whose desire to be carried is not so strong that he stops squirming.

Does any of that count?