Just as I came into the world...

I bought this book at a library book sale recently for the ridiculously great price of 50 cents. Currently it is serving as my laundromat reading material--it's a collection of short stories about women who run (which I think is pretty obvious due to the title). Today I came upon a story about a women who ran a 5K in the Pacific Northwest... at a nudist resort. That's right, it's a naked 5k race. Called the "Bare Buns Run."

I'm from the Pacific Northwest, so naturally I googled this immediately. It is held in the summer in Washington. 3.1 miles. Clothing optional. People don't have to be naked, but many of them choose to go jogging along with just their sneakers and a smile.

How fascinating is that? And how does that not hurt to have stuff flapping around?

Can you see where this is going? My first reaction was that I could never do something like that. But why the heck not? Of course I am intrigued enough to try it. Conveniently I have a longtime friend who a) enjoys being naked and b) likes to encourage my weird ideas. I called her and left a voicemail along the lines of, "Holy crap, naked run, next summer, let's go, your husband can't come."

She called back and her reaction was an excited, "Really?!?!?!" This is why I have her in my life. Everyone needs a friend who will be naked in public with them. So next summer I plan to run 3.1 miles naked. It is one of my new goals.

You might be asking yourself how this is a challenge--I'm about to run 13.1 miles (unless I come down with the plague--keep your fingers crossed that doesn't happen!) so how is 3.1 going to be hard? Besides the obvious jiggling issue, the running won't be the difficult part.

I have no problem with nudity. I'm all about people being comfortable enough with themselves to show off their bodies if they so choose. In general I am not exactly a prude, but I'm also not really the type to take it all off in front of others. Nudity has a time and a place and so far in life I haven't even been the type to really be comfortable changing in a locker room in front of others. So of course this will be a challenge--it is going to be hard to be comfortable enough with myself to be naked in front of a bunch of strangers--but it's more of a mental challenge this time.

Today I was watching "Oprah" (yes, I am that awesome) and past contestants from "The Biggest Loser" were on. A couple had gained back some weight and said that it is just as important to change mentally as it is physically in order to maintain weight loss. That got me to wondering if I am changing enough mentally--do I really think that differently about myself 70 pounds later? I mean, I think I look great with clothes on, but naked is a different story. I wasn't comfortable being naked 70 pounds ago and I am not exactly comfortable now. I have some loose skin on my stomach and things have... deflated. It happens with weight loss so I'm okay with that, but am I okay enough with my body to be comfortable in the buff?

I think so. At least I hope I will be by next summer. I am so amused--it's going to be an adventure being surrounded by that many naked people! I'm hoping it won't be weird since everyone else will be naked too. It's definitely different than just running down my street naked. That's a little less acceptable. So even if you don't believe in public nudity (which I totally understand) you should all cheer us on! Yay for doing crazy things with old friends!

How do you think they keep from chafing? Also, don't tell my mother.