Three-fourths of Team WestEnders is off this morning participating in a 5k fun-run (or walk, if you prefer) in Washington, D.C. Obviously, that would be the "Y-chromosome" portion of our household, as I sit here in my cozy bedroom, nursing a steaming pumpkin-spice-flavored coffee. (That I didn't even make myself, but lazily obtained from 7-11's delightful pushbutton machine. Bless lifestyle-enhancing technology...) And just why, you might wonder, am I--an avid runner and all-around outdoor-loving person--opting to sit out this very social event, which involves not only my own clan, but also several of our closest soccer-family friends? You mean, BESIDES the glaringly obvious answer: Peace. And. Quiet? It's 10:00 on Sunday morning, and all I can hear is the dishwasher humming, and the furnace kicking on to run the heat. The boys aren't asking me for more breakfast. I don't have to answer any questions. There is no bickering that requires supervision. In fact, no one needs me to find or do anything at all. (Alright, I've already grocery shopped, packed lunches for tomorrow, and finished a load of laundry--but whatever, I did it without having to discuss it with anyone...)
If that weren't reason enough to boycott this little adventure, let me add a few more: 1) The guys had to get up at 6 a.m. Now, that doesn't happen for me on a weekday, much less a Sunday. I've said it many times--I consider any time before 7:00 to be absolutely uncivilized. I don't want to see, much less interact with, the early-morning world. There's just not enough coffee to make that attractive to me. 2) Then they met the caravan for the hour-long drive into the District. Ugh. If there's anything even less appealing than being out of bed at dawn, it's commuting...and parking...in our Nation's Capital. 3) While I am definitely a dedicated exercise-person, my body strongly prefers to move and groove in the afternoon or evening hours. The idea of even strolling 3 miles at 9 a.m. just lacks any kind of enjoyment for me. And being October, it's chilly out there. And breezy. Brr! (Gazing out the window as the multicolored leaves rustle in the wind...taking another sip of warm beverage...ahhhh...) Finally, the camel's-back-breaking straw, if you will: 4) While you traverse the race route, volunteers lined up along the street (wait for it) throw colored cornstarch at you as you pass, thus covering you in a rainbow of hues by the time you reach the finish line. So let me get this straight: I would be tired...and cold...and people would be chucking stuff at me? Call me crazy, but this does NOT sound like my idea of a good time!
This will be the kids' first experience with an organized 5k of any kind, so I do hope they have a blast. (And who knows, in the future, if there's one closer to home, when the goal is not to coat you in goop, I'll consider making an exception to the whole "anti-morning-workout" thing...) As for me, I'm going to squeeze in one more errand, eat a (solitary, thus undisturbed) lunch, maybe go out for a walk when the temperature warms up a bit more...and get ready to hose off my family when they return!
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