On the Run

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  Hebrews 12:1

I want to run.  My desire to become a runner started at least 6 years ago when we went to the Fiesta Flambeau night parade and I noticed the runners run by as they kicked off the parade.  I thought to myself, "I could do that," "I want to do that," "I should be able to do that."  Mind you, I had never liked running.  I didn't like becoming breathless and certainly didn't like 'the girls' moving around as much as they do when you run.  When I turned 40, I committed to losing some weight and in Nov 2008 I ran my first 5K the weekend of the SA Rock 'n Roll and I lost almost 25 lbs in the 2.5 months of training.  By the time Fiesta came around in 2009, I was ready to run the 2.6 miles and I convinced my niece Stephanie to run it with me.  It was a lot of fun and I have have learned how to keep the 'girls' in place.


The next year, I convinced one of the girls from my church, Alissa, to run with me.  I even dressed as Janis Joplin (or I tried) since the theme was Rock 'n Roll Legends.



Runs & Marathons.  In 2009, I trained for my first and only half-marathon thus far.  I had started to experience pain in my ankles and knees about a month and a half prior to the race but I didn't want to stop training and I definately did not want to withdraw from the run.  I pressed on and finished the 13.2 miles in 3:00:33.  Not the time I was hoping for but I now could say that I finished it.  So this year, I am training for my first full 26.2 mile marathon.  Wow!  My legs are feeling good and I am praising God for keeping me injury free this training season.

Best recent run.  My favorite long run so far has been the 15.5 mile trek we had on 9/4/10.  The weather was great, the route was familiar, and the running buddies were fun.  We tried an interval run of 5:1 and absolutely loved it.  The plan is to do the same for marathon.  I have a goal time in mind, but I'll keep that to myself for now.

Favorite post-run food.  After my long run on Saturday mornings, I was coming home and making breakfast.  Egg sandwiches and coffee - a tried and true favorite.   But most recently one of running buddies, Minnie, invited me to Bill Miller to have tacos.  So now, my favorite post-run food is 1 bean-cheese-bacon taco and a side serving of carne guisada - yum!  And of course, a steaming cup of coffee.  What makes it even better is that I can take my own coffee cup with me and pay for a coffee refill for .49 and have as many cups as I want.  I do love coffee.

The miles that make me smile.  My 6 year old son wants to run with me.  So after school we are jogging a couple of blocks around the neighborhood and he's been marking almost .7 miles each time.  These are my sweetest runs.  And I am 'oh so pleased' that my 18 year old daughter said she'd train for a half marathon with me for next fall.

"I am" is with me when I run.  At the beginning, I admit, I don't want to do it.  The first 1-2 miles make me wonder "why am I doing this?"  But once the adrenaline kicks in and the endurance drive takes over, I like the challenge.  The challenge makes me remember how totally dependent I am on the power and strength that is always accessible to me.  I cannot run this race alone and whether it's a short or long run and whether there is a running buddy with me or not, I know that I am not alone.  I carry that power and strength with me after every outing and draw from it over and over again until the next time.