For those on the road...

When I see another runner, I feel an immediate connection.

Do you feel it?

I see him and I wonder what his story is.  Are there demons he is running from, or troubles he is trying to release with each breath?

I wonder how her body is feeling.  Is she in the first mile?  The tenth mile?  Does she want to stop with each fall of her foot, or is she in that I-can-run-forever place?

Does he have someone waiting at home?  Is he happy in his job?

What is her story?

As I pass, I pray.  I pray for this nameless-to-me runner, this person whose name is written on God's hand, whose every hair is known by the maker of the stars.  I pray for her struggles, for his pain.  I pray that she meets God as she runs, that everything else falls away and she runs with open heart and open spirit.

What do you feel when you see another runner?  Do you pray?  Maybe now is a good time to start.

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What's your excuse?

Will > Excuse

It's really as simple as that.

And as hard as that.

The will to choose an apple instead of chips.

The will to lace up instead of lie down.

The will to push yourself instead of accept defeat.




What's your excuse? 




Don't let your excuses define you, today, or any day.

It's your choice.


"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength"
Phil. 4:13

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Other than running, or How I channel Sylvester Stallone

I don't like going to the gym very much.

{I absolutely hate the treadmill.  That's another post entirely.}

Cross-training is important to incorporate into our exercise to make us more well-rounded athletes, however.  It builds strength and endurance, works muscles potentially ignored by running alone, and gives our running muscles some well-deserved rest.

Personally I'd rather just run.

But, in the name of following the rules, I try to find ways to achieve my goals in other ways.  One of those is THE STEPS.

Near our home we have a dam area that includes these steps.  There are twelve sets of ten steps and I run them.  Hard.  I love them.  They make me feel like an Amazon woman charging through the jungle.  I haven't done them often, but I want to incorporate them more as I keep training for my half marathon.  

Once home, I usually do a good set of ab exercises, exercises for my hips suggested by my physical therapist, and lunges and squats to work my quads.  I'm always on the lookout for some good, simple exercises to add to my routine and change it up a bit if I get bored.  I know I need to keep strength training to protect my knees, work my core, and develop my leg muscles to avoid injury.  

I'm a work in progress.  And I love it!



Here are some other suggestions for cross-training:

• Injury-preventing stretches.
• Stability ball exercises
• 10 minute jump rope workout
• Resistance band leg workout

Have a fabulous weekend!

Rising

This morning I set out to run in the dark.

I had never run so early before the sunrise, and my husband was a little nervous.  I had my little flashlight in one hand, my pepper spray in the other, my spibelt around my hips holding my iPhone.  I wore a bondiband (thanks for the review, Heather!) on my head and warming my ears.  I listened to a shuffled mix of Stephen Curtis Chapman, Chris Tomlin and Susan Ashton, among others, and I just ran.

The sky promised a splendid sunrise as there was a hint of dark red just beneath a group of wispy clouds to the east.  I waited, glancing toward the blooming colors as I passed one sleepy home after another.  I was reminded that He watching over us never sleeps, never becomes weary, and was meeting me in the peeking of the light on the horizon.

It was not easy today to bump up my miles after 7 weeks of little or no running.  But I thought, "If God can make that sky, I can run four miles."

So I did.

There's just something about my time out in the cornfields with my God.  Something that makes it so much more than just "a run".  The physical exertion is powerful, yes, and I feel a sense of accomplishment, too.  If it was just the exercise, I'd probably still do it for the pure enjoyment of the sport.

But spiritually, it's about realizing my body's smallness, and my soul's expansiveness all at once.  It's about being completely alone, and yet being one in spirit with the body of Christ, all across the world.  It's about peace, and release, and the blooming of my spirit's dawn after a long dark night.  It's about faith and doubt and mess and beauty.

That's what I feel as I run.  Maybe not always, but often enough to give me a purpose beyond getting this body in shape.

What about you?  What motivates you to get up and do it?

Does God meet you on the road?

What do you eat?

I never really did much research before I started running.  I just left the house and ran.  Granted, I didn't run far but, still, it felt very Forrest Gump-ish.

But when I began running longer distances, I checked out some magazines and websites to get advice and suggestions on pre- and post-run meals.  I still didn't follow them so much, though, and have since decided that what works for me, works for me.  I may have to adjust as I increase my distance and continue my training toward my half-marathon in February, but for now if my tummy's happy, I'm happy.

Before my runs, which are almost exclusively in the early mornings, I have at most a banana and a glass of water or soymilk.  Sometimes I just have a small glass each of soymilk and orange juice.  I figure a bit of protein and sugar must be good, right?

When I return from my runs, my favorite smoothie (pictured above from its best side) is this one:

1-1.5 large bananas
1/2 c. organic vanilla yogurt
1 heaping T. organic creamy peanut butter
1/2 dark chocolate almond milk


It is so yummy!  I really don't measure all of those things, I just toss them in, but that's my best guess.  And sometimes I have a bit leftover, which my four year old is always happy to finish.

This smoothie fills me up, but is not heavy, and the chocolate is...well...chocolate-y.

Just like I like it.

Don't mess with the chocolate, y'all


So?  What do you eat pre- and post- run?

My Second 5K

So I did it!

Friday evening was the Dayton Air Force Marathon 5K, the tag-along little sister to the big events on Saturday.  I was able to run, despite my injury of the past 6 weeks, and a wonderful friend met me there and joined me.  She had asked me to sign up with her months ago, and I was glad to oblige, but as I healed up from my leg injury I wondered whether I would be able to run it.

Last Monday, I ran 3 miles for the first time since the first week of August.  I didn't run through the rest of the week so I could sleep in be fresh on Friday, and was very glad I did!  My friend and I met at the expo a few hours early and were able to attend a presentation on form and running shoes (with a serious bent toward barefoot running...something interesting I know little about), as well as spend a little money. I bought a couple of Bondibands and a RUN magnet for my car (to accompany my "Caution: Unsocialized Homeschooler on Board" magnet...)

Then the race...

There were 1800 people running this race, and 13,000 when you included the Saturday events.  Since my first 5K had 300 people, this was a slightly different experience!  I didn't cross the start line for a good 35 seconds after the starting gun, and I was probably 1/3 of the way from the Start banner.  Before we started (and during the race, too) there was a fighter jet fly-over.  It was awesome.

The race took me 29:09, not quite as fast as my first 5K, but I was really happy with my time.  My friend came in one second before me.  It was wonderful to finish with her.  The course itself was very well-laid out.  I didn't know the course beforehand, so I was surprised by a half-mile hill about a mile into the race.  But the little encouraging signs ("The worst is behind you!"  "You can do it!") placed along the way were a great touch!

I feel so blessed to be back to running, even though the race made my leg ache a little bit come the weekend.  What a wonderful and inspiring community of people!

Yay me, with my little medal!

So what are you signed up for?

Inspiration for the weekend

Morning is my favorite time to run.  

I love to be up early and run when the sun is just coming up, 

it's crisp and cool, and it seems to be just me and my Maker.

We have had some of the most amazing sunsets and sunrises lately

and I have been inspired in many ways, not just in my running.

Tonight I have my second ever 5K.  I thought, at the height of my leg pain, 

that I wouldn't be able to run it, and in my more negative moments, 

that I'd never be able to run again. 

(I border on the dramatic)

But here I am, getting ready to head to 

Dayton for the Air Force Base Marathon event.  

I'm running with a friend this time, and hoping to take it easy. 

My time on my first 5K surprised me (25:56) as I had never run faster

than a 9:20 mile, and even that was hard.  The adrenaline really does 

kick you into high gear!  I felt awful immediately after the race,

and like a million bucks within a half hour.  

It was the first time I really felt like a runner.

Since then I've felt like a runner when my knee acted up, when I noticed my second
toenails were black and blue, and when I caught myself thinking that maybe, perhaps,
someday, if the planets were in alignment, I could think about training for a marathon.

Crazy!

"Why is it important to see yourself as a runner?
When you believe you are a runner, you naturally assume
the responsibility of fulfilling that role. You'll
be more motivated to run and thus more consistent in running.
You'll be eager to take on the challenges necessary for
improvement, such as increasing your mileage, picking up
you pace every now and then, or running with friends
who are a little faster than you...Within running is a self-fulfilling 
progression: when you feel confident, you train a little harder,
you become a better runner, you become more confident."
The Complete Book of Running for Women


Keep running!

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Check out these places for inspiration this week!

Dear Non-Runners

Speed Training by BPM

Stability Ball exercises (I have one of these and use it for some exercises after my runs)

Love this by Heather: In Real Life