What’s on your bucket list?

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By Liz Mugavero
Near Hartford, Conn.

This weekend, I’m running my first ever 5K.

I say “running” somewhat lightly because, if you want the truth, I’m not a runner. Never have been. I can do P90X like a champ. Strength training and kickboxing and martial arts-type workouts make me happy. But running? Ugh. Distance is not my thing. Even as a kid in gym class, I was great at the 100-yard dash, but make me run for any length of time or distance, I would do everything in my power to be sick that day.

By now you might be wondering, why the heck is she running any race at all, even a 5K? It’s a good question. Running, aside from the kind you do when being chased by a madman, has always been on my bucket list. It just feels like something about which I need to say, “Yes! I’ve done that.” Mugsy

And the potential saving grace here? This isn’t a straight-out run. Called the Dirty Girl Mud Run, it’s an obstacle course – which I recently found out includes things like climbing 8-foot walls and crawling underneath a 40-foot long fence in the mud. This will likely give me relief from my distance dilemma, but unearths a host of other problems. Like the fact that I’ve never climbed an 8-foot wall. Or any size wall, really, unless you count those waist-high stone walls we used to jump over as kids. But you can’t worry about everything, I guess. And I’m sure my friends – like Edith – who have run marathons are snickering at my trepidation.

MagnetBut I’m doing it, despite the early hour, the likely heat and all of my fears above. I might do great, and I might not do as well as I would like. So what? It’s more important to show up.

This race is a big deal for many personal reasons, and it’s also for a good cause. I’m proud to be part of it. If you think of it Saturday, send some good thoughts my way! (And some levitation powers to get me over the wall.)

Readers, what’s on your bucket list that you plan on crossing off soon?

Published by Cate Conte / Liz Mugavero

Cate Conte writes the Cat Cafe Mysteries and the Full Moon Mysteries. As Liz Mugavero, she writes the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, the first of which was an Agatha Award nominee for Best First Novel. She lives in the Boston area with her rescue pals.

5 Thoughts

  1. Wow, Liz. I just thought it was a run through the mud! The way my joints creaked climbing the stairs just now increases my admiration for you doing this thing. My bucket list? I still want to get to Australia, and the Grand Canyon. Might have to pass on trekking the Himalayas (cf comment about joints). Do some community theater. Oh, you said “soon” – then the eating-based tour of Tuscany and Rome will have to be

    But what IS the cause for which you’ll be running tomorrow?

  2. My closest thing to a 5K was an eleven mile walk in conjunction with the Big Sur marathon in California. It was a wonderful experience and I know you will have a great time or at least a lot of interesting stories to tell. But do share what cause you are running for!

  3. I cannot wait to hear about this! I have done 5Ks (and a half marathon once), but have always been a slow runner. This sort of thing is on MY bucket list, so let us know how it goes!

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