The Samba Incentive

I've never been a runner.  I actually hate it, and with good reason!  I mean, have you ever seen a happy runner?  Maybe post-run, but not during.  In late 2009 when the recession really hit New York City and my work was cut to 4 day weeks and 80% pay, I needed to discover cheap exercise alternatives.  Sadly, running is free.  (Well, after you buy sneakers)  So, I started to run haphazardly, mostly at night and only when it was raining - not enough to be called a runner but enough to make a "running" playlist on my iPod.  Since moving to Dunedin, I've toyed with the idea of actually becoming a runner...you know, running more than twice a month and further than up and down the stairs at work when we're busy.  I think I ran about 5 times last year, maybe 6.  It still didn't stick.

courtesy of Google Image search - this is not us!

However back in January Ingrid, who I dance Salsa with, asked if I would like to join her and some friends to do a Brazilian Samba routine that we would perform for her birthday.  I like to dance, I don't mind being the center of attention, naturally I said yes.  

After our first couple rehearsals, we began talking about costumes for the performance and that's when "bras and knickers" came up.  If you've ever seen Brazilian Samba Carnival dancers, you know of what I speak: huge feathered/ bejewled headdresses, brightly colored and glitzy bras and skimpy knickers (we all vetoed the idea of thongs in public - you're welcome, Dad!)  Suddenly, the fear of being all "jiggly" and half naked in front of people I know hit me hard...so I started running.  In earnest.

I used to think of myself as moderately intelligent, but I'm really not.  Who decides to become a runner in the hilliest city outside San Francisco???  Running up hills is the fastest way to kill your commitment to the sport, as well as your quads.  Work is at the top of Maori Hill and though I have started running home from work, it's all downhill.  I've also been running to and from dance rehearsal, but fortunately that's in the flat bit of Dunedin city center, and the beach, my favorite place to run, is also flat.  My goal running on St. Clair beach was to run all the way to the other end of St. Kilda beach and back without stopping.  Tuesday I achieved this goal and I just repeated it again last night!  I'm a very happy quasi-runner and one day I might actually work up to running up hills.  At the moment, running away from the tide into the soft sand is enough of an uphill battle for me.

I've been running off and on for about a month now in preparation for our performance.  Our performance is tonight and after our dress rehearsal on Wednesday, I'm feeling OK about it.  Nerves still hit me in waves when I think of everyone watching me jiggle, but I've invited heaps of friendly faces so hopefully I'll be supported by my friends and they won't judge me!  However, if you're in the Dunedin area tonight, 10:30pm at The Church Cinema on Dundas street!  Bring your camera... this may not happen again!