It could be an eloquent discussion on body image, conquering fears, and challenging your conceptions.
Or, it could be a post entirely about my hunt for the perfect underwear to run in.
With no intention of wearing pants over said underwear. Oh goodness.
Until the week of the event that is. Which was when I said "Screw it!" and signed up for two "races" in one day. That being said, calling the Cupid's Undie Run a race is an inaccurate description at best. No race bibs, (they would obstruct the view of your underwear... Some people had very little to pin a race bib to!) no chips, no timing, no one who cared who finished first. Just a lot of people (About 300 in Nashville) running through the streets in their underwear, some pretty dunkenly, while police officers waved and nodded their approval. ODD.
Let me tell you something. Either the mirrors in Kohl's have suddenly become spiteful, or I might have developed some serious body image issues. Because trying to find underwear that would enhance my cleavage and hide my butt was suddenly like trying to solve world peace.
Except harder.
I ended up going to Walmart and buying about 5 different "outfits" (read: combinations of bras and underwear one would normally put underneath clothes, but I intended to wear AS clothes). Taking them back home to try on in the comfort of my familiar bathroom, whose mirror I knew wouldn't pull any dirty tricks. And more importantly, it would allow me to run around my apartment in said underpants and see what stayed and what didn't.
I was not about to risk the world's biggest wedgie because the underpants I had chosen may have looked cute but served no functional purpose.
The things you consider when taking on running adventures continues to amaze me.
"Do these underpants make my butt look big? Will they stay in place while I leisurely jog around in them?"
Anything that didn't stay in place for a 5 minute jog around my apartment was automatically disqualified. If it couldn't handle that, there was no way it would stay in place during the run.
And then it happened. You walk into the venue and suddenly, you're the only on wearing real clothes. Even the bartenders have stripped down to their tight boxer briefs. (Ladies, it was amazing. Seriously.)
And so suddenly, being the only one wearing clothes, you feel out of place.
Being in a bar, with a full bar, it was immediately clear some people were coping with the awkwardness of the underpants dance by imbibing in some adult beverages. Others had been more conservative in their approach, layering tights or leggings and accessorizing their underwear with tutus, hats, and vests. But there they all were. In their underpants.
Imagine how much time you could save if everytime you went to the bar, everyone was already half naked. But add in the awkwardness of trying to work your way through a crowded bar. Squeezing between two people to get through was suddenly a much more intimate moment. And as one guy pointed out, practically impossible for a dude trying to pass another dude. There was NO good way to do that.
The time comes to run and those thoughts of "How much will my butt jiggle?" and "Are those guys underpants gonna provide him enough support?" return, but only until you actually get into the run. Because once you start running, that's all you focus on. And then it's done. It is only a mile long after all.
And despite all my worries and concerns, I didn't feel stupid. (Except for a brief moment!) And even more, the things I had been most concerned about were no longer concerns but assets, as one (very drunk) young lady explained how much she envied my thighs. Really? Because I would have happily traded them away, but I suppose drunks can be pretty honest sometimes, so I'll work with that.
Long story short I guess? If you want to challenge yourself, not just physically but mentally about your conceptions about body image and raise money for a good cause at the same time, I totally recommend this The race was a blast, I made some new friends, and now feel a little better coming in to swimsuit season about rocking my new bikini.
Oh, and to all those construction workers who stopped to stare along the race route, accomplishing little to no actual work? YOU'RE WELCOME.
Remember, every race can challenge you. This challenge just came in the form of confronting your confidence!
#runlove, y'all!