Climb for Hospice

I went to Videoland on Friday and grabbed a couple training DVDs. Actually, let me just back up a bit…

In 2008 I decided that I needed to try something new and exciting. For some unknown reason I got it into my head that learning to run 10k seemed like a really good idea. So I bought new running shoes, got a few headbands and a cheap wristwatch. Now, the biggest challenge I was facing was the fact that I had to run, you know, outside. Not a big fan of that outside place. How could I get around this?

Craigslist. “Like new treadmill, $200”. Score!

So, I brought home my “like-new treadmill” and set it up in my living room, with my old laptop balanced precariously in front of it on the fireplace mantle. I was going to run 10k AND catch up on all the movies and TV shows I had missed seeing (given that I haven’t had a TV since 2004). I bought myself some cheap headphones, printed off the “Training to Run 10k” program from SportMedBC and I was good to go.

It took over two months of almost-daily training, but I could finally run 10k. Aside from movies (FYI: the average movie is about 10k long), I was able to watch every episode of Sex and the City, Arrested Development, The Venture Brothers, Boston Legal, The West Wing, Pushing Daisies, Dexter, Dirty Sexy Money, and Californication (plus a few other series that I started but didn’t really like). Along the way I got to know the Videoland clerks pretty well, and came to appreciate Thursdays when I could get 5 DVDs for $10. One particularly lovely clerk was always up on what I was watching and could always tell me what season and episode I was supposed to rent next – this was very, very helpful. She actually memorized my account number. I didn’t, but she did. She has such a nice smile, and is always so positive and cheerful. It makes me happy to go and rent DVDs from her if I’ve had a bad day.

So, I went in a couple weeks ago to rent a handful of DVDs and she was surprised by my return. I informed her that I was in training for something and left it at that. But when I went back last Friday to grab a couple “training DVDs”, and brought them up to the counter, the kind lady with the nice smile simply said, “well, guess you can’t back out now, eh?” (referring to the Delta Optimist article), and rung my DVDs through with a smile.

Nope, I can’t back out now. Especially since I know the nice Videoland lady is counting on me, too.