When it Rains

Five years ago, I started going to this crazy workout group called Ecofitness. Well, working out is crazy, but this group ups the ante by meeting every morning at 6 a.m. in a different park around Seattle. The trainer, Ryan, designs workouts based on the environment and Seattle's parks has lots of stairs and hills. Mostly, hills!

I learned about Ecofitness when my friend and former clinical director, Jen, sent me an email she had received from our clinic's nutritionist. It gave the details of the workouts, and Jen had attached a note that said, "heck no, but this sounds like something you would like". I did think it sounded, um, fun?; but when I saw the 6 a.m. start time, I trashed the email. But, the idea lingered in my mind. I had been jogging (in a weak and elderly pace) about two 1/2-marathons per year, and I had just hobbled along one. I thought maybe if I gave more umph to my workouts, I wouldn't feel so "back of the pack". So, I signed up.

The weekend before the first session was graduation at SPU. My friend, Margaret, and I were carpooling. Margaret was pregnant with her first son. Directly outside Qwest Field a graduating senior rear-ended us. It was one of those, "I think we are fine but what do we do" moments. I asked Margaret if she was OK. She said yes, and was holding her belly. I trust Margaret, and almost didn't call an ambulance. But, I did.

She was taken to the hospital to be checked out. I managed to keep it together, even when the nurse asked if I were M's mom. NO! I'm only two years older. When her husband got to emergency, I fell apart. The EMT hugged me and got me a glass of water. Jen picked me up, got me a frappie, and took me to her house to watch Spanglish. The only good news is that I didn't have to sit through the 4 hour graduation (not that I don't LOVE my students, but it is a long service to see a cohort of about 9 graduate).

So, that Monday was the bootcamp. I was a bit sore from the crash, but I ignored every brain impulse to just sit this one out and I showed up at Greenlake for the first workout. And, most summer M-W-Fs since then I've been going to this crazy workout group. One of my fave memories is two summers ago, on my birthday, I went and was the only member there for the first 1/2 hour. We were at Gasworks parks and while I was doing yoga-type moves, the sprinklers went on. Happy Birthday to me.

Today was even wetter than the birthday-surprise. It was rainy Seattle at it's best...and worse.