i do not like to be physically uncomfortable. when i have a headache, i take an advil. when i am having a baby, i get an epidural (this was no small feat in the netherlands where both of my children were born and 30% of women give birth at home.) i don’t understand people who run marathons or bike a million miles, despite blisters or cramps or just being tired. i only run when my children are headed into traffic or if someone is chasing me with an ax. actually, in my early 20’s, i did run the bay to breakers (san francisco’s 10k) once. between all the bands and the cheering and the popsicles and the costumes and the fact that it was so crowded you couldn’t go very fast, i had a great time. and on the way home, my roommate and i bumped into jerry brown, who was running for president at the time - but was not accompanied by any entourage or body guards - and he invited us back up to his converted victorian firehouse home that was a few blocks from our apartment for a chat. i ended up volunteering for his campaign and it sparked my interest in politics. overall, it was a pretty amazing day and i thought i had discovered a hidden running talent in myself. two days later, i tried to go running again… but without the entire city cheering me on and handing me treats, i realized that i actually do not like to run at all. i do exercise a bit because i am vain. i take classes at the bar method a couple of times a week - it is air conditioned in there and the teachers are funny and i have a range of strategies for getting through class: i only use the 2 pound weights (perhaps this is why i still have “dinner lady arms” where the bits between your elbow and armpit flap too readily when you wave,) i almost never do the challenges, i go to the bathroom if there is more than ten minutes left for the tummies (if i go earlier, i just really had to go,) i only accidentally take the level 2 classes and i count stuff: boob jobs, filled lips, tattoos and pig tails - you’d be surprised at how many women in their forties still tie their hair up like school girls.)