Cwazy Ninjas

Last Friday I got together with a group of friends for the monthly pubrun. The theme was “tattoos and tiaras”, but my special-borderline-brain-damaged group of friends decided that we wanted to kick it up a notch and run as ninjas. Yes, I am in my 30’s and I was running around San Antonio dressed all in black, a karate belt, and a samurai sword. Yes, I was having an amazing time running around the city telling everyone my name was “Amyson”. And yes, I managed to twist my leg on some uneven pavment, earning myself a grade two pull in my calf muscle and two weeks of no running. Cwazy ninja?? Apparently, yes.

Mimes, Ninjas, Cholesterol.... the silent killers.


As I sat down icing my leg (injured cwazy ninjas are required to sit still for long periods of time), I started reflecting on how life can take you where you least expect it. In fact, life has a way of sneaking up on you, and going all ninja-effing-crazy just when you think you have a routine down. Found a way to balance work and school? Let’s throw a 15 hour/week internship into the mix. Start coaching for the American Cancer Society? How about a calf injury to tend too. School is FINALLY back in session for the kiddos…. And all three start coughing like 1920’s tuberculosis patients. Life-1; Amy-0.

I guess what I am saying, is that sometimes you are the ninja—but sometimes life is. Deployments, injuries, illness, job issues—they all can sneak up on us and wreak havoc in our carefully constructed life. We can plan time for friends, dinners that don’t involve peanut butter and jelly, and use impressive spreadsheets to map our fitness progression; but we can’t control the universe. Sometimes you just may be running down the street in San Antonio, minding your own ninja business, when you trip over an invisible crack in the sidewalk. What you do next is up to you. You can sit there on your butt and wait for life to resume some balance—OR you can ninja-up. For the past week, I have been working my ass off in a crossfit gym. It’s humbling (borderline humiliating at moments), I am stuck in a stupid-looking compression sleeve, and I will be coaching this week on a bike alongside the runners. But hey, life may have temporarily took me down, but I managed to find a way to regain some foothold. Life- 1; Amy-1. The lesson here: There is nothing that can’t be accomplished with a ninja star.

Ninja philospohy: Eat. Sleep. Dominate.