I'm writing this post from BlogHer. It's my fifth time at this conference, and while it is so much bigger and more overwhelming than it was when I first attended, it's always lovely to see old friends, meet new ones, and spend a full weekend getting my bucket filled (as my friend Lisa likes to say). There is nothing like a conference full of amazing women to raise one's self esteem. That is my favorite thing about the women's conferences that I attend. For all of the bickering and in-fighting that does seem to go on within the blogosphere, there is also so much lifting up. There is support, there is encouragement, there are hugs and there is a lot of laughter.
Last night at a cocktail party hosted by the gorgeous ladies of Kirtsy,I stopped by a table to get my body painted. Karen and Gabrielle were on hand to paint a slogan of choice on each woman's body part of choice. As I waited on line with Jess, I tried to figure out what group of words would be most representative of me. In years past, I might have chosen something rebellious, something kind of feisty. I've always been loud and outspoken, and that's kind of defined me. I've also always been about food (duh), so I thought I could maybe pick something food-related. I asked Jess if she had any ideas for my body paint, and she immediately replied that it had to be something related to running. Say what??
I have never, ever been an athlete. In elementary school, I was always picked last in gym class. If we played dodge ball or volley ball, I cringed in the corner. If we played baseball or soccer, I was teased for having no hand-eye coordination. Athletics was never my thing, so I just dove into other activities that were more my speed. I did drama. I sang. I occasionally danced. But I was never, ever an athlete.
But then last October, I decided to train for that half marathon in New Orleans. And as soon as that ended, I knew I would do something more, so now I'm training for the full marathon in Chicago. I am a runner. I am an athlete. I am really, really damn proud. And so when Jess suggested that my slogan of choice be "haulin' ass," I nodded my head in agreement and stuck out my arm.
