Pale Kids in a Sunshine World

Years ago, there was a Saturday morning cartoon on TV that featured an episode about the "pale kids" at school. The show was "Recess," and it revolved around the adventures of a bunch of fourth graders on the playground. The so-called "pale kids" were children who would rather stay inside and play board games (aka: nerd games) than get outside in the sunshine during recess.

I laughed so hard I literally had tears pooling up in my eyes.

Anyone who knew me well when I was a kid that age would absolutely agree that I was a true Pale Kid. It's not that I don't like sunshine. I'm simply apathetic and non-athletic (to quote my personal theme song from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"). I was the kid who would rather scrape gum off the bottom of the desks than go outside and play softball. In the summer, I'd be sitting in the shade reading a book while my friends were in the pool. When the neighborhood kids picked and sold blackberries to make money in the summertime, I sat inside the air conditioned house and watched Jeopardy. My favorite place was the basement, where it was dark and there was a TV. Some of us just don't do the physically active thing, and we especially don't do it outdoors.

To make a (very) long story short, I had to make some changes as I got older. Reluctantly and resistantly, I had to get my health under control. Watching TV all the time has a much different effect on your body when you're 14 than it does when you're over 40. With cardiovascular disease in my family, and some health issues of my own surfacing, I eventually had to come to terms with the fact that I needed to make some changes if I wanted to stick around for awhile, and continue to enjoy life to the fullest.

So this blog is about health, fitness, starting over, life in general, and being a Pale Kid. I have learned I can coexist with grown-up sunshine kids quite well.

- I look different in pictures than sunshine kids, but I don't shy away from cameras.
- I may not be fast, but I have endurance.
- I may be the only person wearing jeans at the training runs, but I do show up.
- My legs will never be skinny, but they do work and so I will use them and be thankful.
- And while I don't cross the finish line with the sunshine kids, I do finish. And that's what counts!