Ahh...The Run

Oh man! It has been a while! I haven't talked to ya'll since the race...

Well, I set a 5k PR (21:47) and placed third in my age/sex category. (I feel the need to say that I would have been first in the 30-34, which I turned four days later!) Then...I took a break. A week, in fact. Didn't run at all. Barely walked. And, I allowed myself to eat peanut M&Ms for nutrition!!

Tonight, I got it back. I ran. And ran. I started off with a jog, then picked up the tempo, then started sprinting...took it back down to a jog and started all over again. And it felt good. My body was ready. My muscles were healed. My mind was fresh. And my feet were swift. I looked at my surroundings and thought about the beauty in nature and how running allows me to be a part of that for just that moment. It is very freeing.

Sometimes running became a task to take care of before starting my day and, methodically, I would get up and run. Tonight's run was empowering. My mind and body naturally picked up where they left off. I have run for almost three years now. It is amazing to look back at the different phases of my running and see where my mind was at the time. When I first started, it was to lose weight. Then it became a way to relieve stress. Then I started entering races to cross the finish line. Then I started racing. Then I wanted to run long distance. Now I just want to run.

I cannot say I am the fastest runner but I can say that I am probably one of the more passionate ones. I enjoyed my break (and the M&Ms)...but I love being back!

Another Hallelujah

I find myself time and time again straying from my Sustainer. I find myself time and time again putting aside the Jealous Lover of my Soul. I find myself time and time again believing the enemy's lies. And I find myself time and time falling back in love with my Father.

There is a Presence ever before me and He leads me here and He leads me there. He removes all things I put before Him. His Love is perfect and His discipline is fair. He is Trustworthy and Faithful...even when I am not. He never lets me go...even when I fight. He sustains me...even when I fall.

Some people over-intellectualize God and think they've figured Him out. Some people study the Word and think they are a scholar. Some people try to follow rules and think they are innocent. But some people never come to realize that all God wants is submission. Now in our society, submission is a weakness. Women fight to be in charge of their homes and even the church. Men fight among themselves over the laws of the church who is right or wrong. Submission is a sign of strength and maturity. When men and women submit to God, they find exactly what they have been looking for...Joy. (And, for all of those that require rewards for duties, you will find the vast richness of God's blessings.)

Focus and Strength

I have a 5k race next Saturday so I did not have to run a "long" run this morning, only 9 quick miles. I was very relieved that I did not have to churn out 22 miles this weekend. I ate a piece of peanut butter toast, chugged a little water, threw on my shoes and began to run. Ahh, the peace. The solitude. And...the PAIN! What is happening? Why am I not coasting along? Why is my breathing so heavy? My core did not recognize the speed and my feet were a little confused. It was hard for my body to remember how to run fast after training for endurance so long. One thing that was a relief was that I didn't have to worry about sugar shots, water overhauls and survival pacing...but there was more...

I had a stressful day at work on Friday and I needed to clear my head. This is, in fact, what was wrong...my mental gun never went off. I was too worried about the stresses of life that I forgot to focus. After my second mile I decided that if I didn't focus I would just quit. (The "Q" word is equivalent to a cuss word in my racer's mind so that was really not an option after all.) I lifted up on my toes and quickly reminded my feet what a sub-eight-minute mile felt like. I blew off all other thoughts and enjoyed the rest of my run. To help my ever wandering mind, I took some time to jot down my running schedule for the remainder of the week...

Sunday- 7 miles
Monday- 6 miles and weights
Tuesday- 5 miles and kickboxing (Nice substitute from a routine ab workout)
Wednesday- 4 miles and weights
Thursday- 3 miles with speed work
Friday- REST
Saturday- Ardmore 5k

I have no intentions of racing the other 5k competitors. I would like to break my PR for a 5k but will also accept an injury-free finish coupled with a painless 22-miler on Sunday. I have discovered that when I forget about the other people that show their face at the start line, I can focus easier. Are the other sports-bra baring ladies intimidating at first? Sure...but I don't have to take any of them home and mentor them on a job well-done...only me.

So I think me and my shoes will show up alone and do what we do best...run.