<——I probably haven’t given this picture a lot of thought lately. This was in May, 2013, at RT in Kansas City, MO. I’m here with Francesca Bensi, Damon Suede, Marie Sexton and Leigh Ann Davies Logan… I had such a blast with these guys. They were truly, a remarkable, enjoyable group.

Someone liked this picture on Facebook this morning so I had a chance to look at it again.

This next picture is me in November of 2014, and this is pretty much is what I look like now…

(In fact, it’s pretty much how I look every day because I’ve adopted this very comfy look as my unofficial uniform. So long baggy sweats and athleisure wear!)

I didn’t have a specific Come-To-Jesus moment or anything, or if I did, it had more to do with health, with fitness. With being able to outrun the years. With the dreaded syndrome-X and marginal results on blood tests and the lack of ability to waddle around these big conference events without an anti-inflammatory cocktail at the end of the day.

And I’m not saying I don’t have a long way to go still, as I’m not where my doctor would like me to be, or where I’d like to be, running a 10K. (Did I say ten? My current goal is five. FIVE.)

Criminy!

This running shit is addictive! Slow and steady, wins the race.

I’m at fifteen months of healthy goals and holding.

I’m in better shape than I have been in years, thanks to Weight Watchers, a Snail’s Pace Running Academy, and my family. Thanks to Beverly Jensen and Belinda McBride, my partners (in crime and health). My first scheduled 5K (running, not walking, which I do nearly every day) is the Avengers 5K at Disneyland in November. If my knee holds out and I can jog it, I’ll see you at the finish line faster. If it doesn’t, I’ll walk it easily anyway.

In case anyone wants to know, this shit is totally doable, even if you’re a great big, sloth-writer, like me…