FitBloggin Conference #1

I went to Baltimore for the Fitbloggin Conference last weekend, and then on to Washington DC. It was a whirlwind trip, and my head is still spinning a bit. I've decided to break the journey down for you in small steps and small posts because I've never been a big marathoner. I'm more of a 5k-er.

If I tell you several small stories, maybe eventually you'll see the big picture. And you won't be so tired at the end. And then you can tell me what the big picture is. Hopefully. There may or may not be a quiz. Also, there will be video, as soon as I figure out how to load my flip videos onto my laptop without crashing it.

First of all, let me just say this: I started this blog as a hobby back in 2007 to learn about blogging. I never really intended for it to be a "fitness blog," it was just a place to write little stories about my life. But it turns out fitness is a big part of my life, even though I treat it like a hobby, too.

Now, three years later, I'm used to my blog, I know what it's about (me, me, me of course, and my journey through middle aged angst with humor and a bit of running) and other people are noticing it, like book agents, and asking me to think bigger. And I like to think bigger. Big thinking is my specialty.

So I went to the conference to meet other fitness writers like Mizfit Online and a few sponsors like New Balance who gave us shoes and POM (POM gave us martinis!) and authors like Jennette Fulda of Half-Assed fame and food gurus like David Grotto who think big.

First, I spent a few weeks working with my friend Luann at Training for Fun getting my knee in shape for the Fitbloggin 5k run and I even let everyone watch me do sit ups on TV Which was embarrassing, by the way, because of the tummy bulging thing. But I'll do almost anything to be on TV. Almost.

The core strength training thing with Luann really worked though. My knee stopped hurting and I even lost some inches in the process, mainly around my bust, which is typical, but irritating. But at least I had a good excuse to buy cute new bras. Bonus.

So last Thursday I drove my kids 7 hours to Seattle to stay with a host of aunts and uncles while I was gone. I ran around Green Lake, hung out with relatives, ate marvelous food, slept for 5 hours, then got up at 4:30 a.m. Friday to fly across the country.

I finally landed in Baltimore at 6:00 p.m. Friday, just in time for the cocktail party where I immediately met some online buddies like Deb Roby of Weight for Deb and brand new friends: Kara of Fat Woman on the Mountain and Mandi of Trainer Momma and Lisa Johnson . I'm good at that meeting people stuff. It's one of my not-so-secret talents.

But the whole night, I kept searching for my new best friend, Fitarella. I had met her briefly at The Audience Conference in New York in November, but didn't realize she was a fitness blogger. Which is weird, since her name is Fitarella. But it's also Jacqueline, which I kept forgetting during this trip because I know everyone by their twitter or blog names.

And back in New York I didn't realize how funny Fitarella is because our meeting was so brief. We were introduced, she smiled, said hello, and then she left. So elusive. I'm surprised she didn't leave a perfect glass slipper at the bar in New York.

So I asked several people at the Fitbloggin cocktail party if they'd seen Fitarella, and many said yes, she had been there, but then had disappeared. Mysteriously.

I checked Twitter and saw she was looking for me (she claimed, in several well timed posts) but it was all a bit wild goose-chase-ish. And then her phone died. And then mine did.

Again with the elusive.

So finally, I gave up, went to my room, ordered room service, and went to bed.

Next post: finding Fitarella and the cute New Balance Boy.