"Run For Your Life"

Today is the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks. It's sobering to remember what all went down that day.

At church tonight, there was a guest speaker, a young woman who is a missionary to Uganda. Before she spoke, she played a short video. Carter Conlon is the pastor at Times Square Church in Manhattan. The video is part of the message he delivered to his congregation the Sunday following the 9/11 attacks 10 years ago.

The title of the message in it's entirety is "Run for Your Life." However, this is the clip she played for us tonight. It challenged/inspired me enough to share it with you.

I suppose there's so much more I could write about it (what I got from it, thoughts on it, etc), but I'm just going to let the video speak for itself.

Victory!

Sunday, I got up before work and ran 5 miles without stopping for the first time in my life.
Tuesday, I barely made 2 miles and was cloaked in discouragement.

The last several weeks at work have been so completely hectic. We're understaffed at the moment and overworked.
I got my check today for the last 2 weeks of work and really wasn't surprised to see that I was being paid for 100+ hours during those two weeks.
As wiped out as I was when I got off at 5, I resolved to run this afternoon.

And run I did.

It wasn't the greatest run of my life, but it was a good run. And I'm happy to say, I did 5 miles again.
It feels good to accomplish that again, but more so because of the discouragement that followed Tuesdays run.

I'm a big believer in the importance of celebrating small victories. It's a great way to really appreciate every part of life more. It makes me a more positive, enjoyable person. There are too many things in life to complain about and be down about. But, I refuse to complain more than I celebrate.

So tonight, I'm celebrating 20+ hours of overtime on my paycheck and a great run.

Every small victory is still a victory.

Discouraged

I woke up yesterday morning in a junked up mood. As I headed out the door, I was sure i'd be able to beat the blues on my run, but alas, the blues beat me. Sunday, I ran better than I've ever ran in my life. Covered 5 miles and it felt wonderful. Tuesday morning, completely different story. Couldn't even crack 2 miles. Wound up walking most of the way back home.

You wouldn't believe the thoughts of discouragement that hit me.

I guess everyone has their off days. I just wasn't expecting to come from the best run of my life and get slammed by not even 2 miles.

I suppose, it's all part of the process.

But, tomorrow is another day.

Run With Your Heart

I started reading a book called "UltraMarathon Man" by Dean Karnazes over the weekend. It's funny, well-written, & completely inspiring. I don't want to give away too much of the book, so I won't go into much detail. However, my favorite chapter so far is called "Run With Your Heart." It's taken from a lesson one of his coaches in high school told him.



This morning while I was out for my 5am 3-mile run, I had pieces of the book I read running through my head. I realized as I was nearing the 2.5 mile mark that I wasn't winded, my muscles weren't aching, and my legs weren't tired. I realized, I could push myself a little harder & keep running past the 3 miles I've been doing all week. The four words "Run with your heart" reverberated through me. Around mile 4 I was beginning to feel the run. By the time I made it back home, I had ran 5 miles without breaking to walk or catch my breath. New distance record for myself. Getting ever closer to the halves in October & December.

But this mornings run made "run with your heart" real for me. I wasn't running with my mind...not concentrating on the fact that I was facing a 9-hour work day. Not concentrating on the fact that I got 6 hours of sleep the night before. To me, running with your mind is concentrating on all the things you could be/would rather be doing. I wasn't running with just my body. I ran with my heart. I focused on what the race in December will be like. I thought about those who can't run. I guess I got a little sentimental & sappy out there, but I ran with my heart. I remembered why I'm getting up at 5 am to run & train. And, with everything in me, I promise, it made all the difference.

I'm absolutely loving this book. Definitely a must read! Get it HERE.

To learn more about Dean Karnazes, check out his site UltraMarathon Man.

Passionate.

A few months ago, I blogged about getting up early and running. That only lasted a short while, then I went back to late afternoon runs. During the last couple months, I've rotated a few running partners. Slacked off, got sick, changed running partners again.
But, I'm back to running alone.
I think this is the way it's meant to be for me though. And now that I'm back to running alone, I've been going to bed early & getting up for 5am for 3-mile runs around town. And I'm loving it. Granted, I'm EXHAUSTED by the end of a 10-11 hour workday, I do not regret my 5am runs. In fact, it's the thing I'm beginning to look forward to and cherish the most.

I'm not a morning person. Never have been, will probably never be. But I love mornings. I love watching the sunrise. Love the sounds and the smells.

Sad to say, but I think it's probably human interaction that I'm just not a fan of in the mornings.

But I enjoy being the only one running the roads.

It's not even 8:30pm now, and I'm already in my pajamas in bed with the lights dimmed. This is almost unheard of for me.

But, I'm starting to realize something. When you become passionate about something, it really will change your life. It'll rearrange your schedule for you. It'll prioritize your life for you. If you're passionate about something, truly passionate, it'll be the first thing you'll want to do in the morning and the last thing on your mind before you go to bed. Discipline and dedication will flow out of your passion.

One other thing, I was reading in Runner's World magazine this morning as I was eating breakfast after my run. I found this advertisement:



I thought that was super cool. I'm so stoked and cannot wait until December. Running the St. Jude Memphis Half is going to be amazing. I so can't wait!

Freedom

I haven't blogged in a while. I've got issues with commitment.

But in the last few months of running, I've found something: freedom.

It's become the only thing I do for me. I enjoy it. I'm not a runner, though. Not by nature. My body isn't built for it. It's not something I ever was. But I run.
Life's full of responsibilities. Family. Job. Church. Friends. Full of commitments. These things are not bad things. In fact, I get great joy from most of them. And I find so much meaning in them. However, when you do life with others, you can't be selfish.
And it's true. I run with purpose. I'm running to raise money for St. Jude's Hospital in December. I'll be running in Memphis to make a difference in someone else's life.
But day in, day out...when I roll out of bed, I run for me.

Running, when I get up at 530 in the morning is not for anybody else. Nobody is making me get up. Nobody is outside holding my hand. Pushing me forward. No one will be disappointed if I start walking. I run at my pace. No one will be proud of me if I go farther or run faster.

Freedom.

Freedom, I suppose, is more than doing what you want. But, maybe, it's doing what you want when there is no praise or criticism associated with it. No one praises me when I'm up before the sun and run 4 miles. No one criticizes me when I sleep til 7 and get ready for work without an early morning run.

Freedom.

Happy Father's Day

I'm a sap...this had me in tears.
It's an incredible picture of what our Heavenly Father does for us.



happy Father's day!

Running the Sahara

Between church and youth group tonight, I came home and watched a documentary I rented from iTunes, "Running the Sahara." It follows 3 guys as they spend several months running across the Sahara desert.

Somedays, I feel like I need a little bit more inspiration than others. I suppose today was one of those days.
Here's the trailer for "Running the Sahara."



When I watch documentaries like this, it reminds me that 13.1 miles isn't so long.

6 Week Challenge

Through a friend on Facebook, I found the site Hundred Push-Ups. The site contains different challenges, such as push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and pull-ups as well as a few others. The more I looked, the more interested I became. I've been wanting to exercise my upper body more. From all the running I've been doing the last couple weeks, my calves look great.

But, I lack upper body strength. Not to mention, I watch The View online from time to time, and I get jealous of Elisabeth's ridiculously toned arms.

So, I started 3 of the challenges: push-ups and sit-ups for upper body strength and also squats to work my thighs.

I'm not saying how many I did for the initial challenge to see where I stood, but my push-ups were pathetic. I'm hoping this 6 week challenge works. As with anything, I know I'll only get out of this what I put into it. How awesome would it be to do 100 push-ups!? or 200 sit-ups?!

For those who are more athletic or in-shape than I am, I'm sure that's not very ambitious haha, but I'm a girl on a mission. If I'm running 13.1 miles in Memphis in December, I wanna make sure I'm fit to do it.

If any of you take any of the 6 week challenges (or if you already have), let me know how you're doing...or if you've done it, has it worked?!

Pushing Through

I talked a friend into running with me tonight.
When I got off work, I quickly changed and headed to the track.
My friend, Ali is just starting out, so she did some interval training to work up her distance.
I set out for a 2 mile run.
There's something about running laps at a track that makes me feel like a caged animal. I'm starting to hate it.
The more I've been running through town, the more I'm disliking running at the track. The track is just becoming a little too monotonous for me.
Somewhere around the 3rd lap, it got miserable. My side started hurting. My calves started cramping. And all I suddenly wanted to do was walk.
But I'm not training for me. And I'm not training to quit.
I pushed through.
I have to say, those were the most miserable 2 miles I've ran in weeks, but they sure felt good when I was done.

However, I came home and found the devil in my house.



Blueberry muffins, chocolate chip cookies, and donuts are the reason I'm toning up, but not losing any weight.
I didn't eat any of the donuts tonight though. I had a massive amount of cereal for supper and a headache that was slowly coming on.
The only thing I could say when I saw the donuts was "Get thee behind me, Satan!" and I walked away.

Tomorrow is my long run. I'll be pushing for nearly 4 miles in the morning.

Wish me luck!

Down Time & a Documentary

Having down time always makes me think.

I've given my running shoes a 2-day break. Yesterday was actually the only day I was supposed to rest my legs, but the weather got really bad this afternoon... so I didn't have much of a choice.

While I relaxed on my day off yesterday (from work and running), I spent time online looking up different things on running. At one point, I found a documentary called "Runner's High." I have to say, it really was a great documentary. It followed a group of high school students in Oakland California from start to finish for 4 months of training for the Las Angeles Marathon.

To say the least, it challenged me. Several trainers invested their time & resources on these students to get them ready in 4 months to run the marathon. It got me thinking...surely, if they can train to run 26.2 miles in 4 months, I know I can tackle 13.1 miles in 6 months. It gave me hope and a little bit of encouragement that I can accomplish what I've set out to do.

I had a friend comment on one of my statuses on Facebook yesterday and told me that what I'm doing is inspiring her. I know it's not much, but it really encouraged me. I've got friends who are natural encouragers. I wish I were more like them. I just feel like a better person when I'm around them. That's the way true friends should make you feel.

As much encouragement as I'm getting from others about training for the St. Jude Memphis half Marathon, I want to invest that kind of encouragement in others as they push through life. It's not that I don't notice, but sometimes, I just don't say anything. I suppose that's probably just as good as not noticing, though. I want to be the kind of person that people have a conversation with and walk away genuinely feeling encouraged and hopeful about what ever they're going through because someone believes in them and believes they can overcome what they are facing.

St. Jude Hero's Video

I found this video on youtube of what I'm going to be a part of.
I really wanted to share it.



"I run with purpose in every step." -1 Corinthians 9:26

Celebrate Small Victories

A few nights ago after work, I mapped out 3 miles from my house and back. Lately, I've been regularly running 2 miles (more than less) around town. Today I ran the 3-mile loop I'd mapped out. Running all the way.

It was huge for me. Actually, anytime I'm able to add distance, I make it a big deal. I never thought that I'd be able to run a full mile without stopping, much less 3 miles. Completing the half marathon in December will be a major milestone for me. But weekly or bi-weekly, I'm pushing myself to keep adding distance. When I'm able to add the distance, I really do get so excited.

I've got a short-term goal I'm shooting for at the end of July: finally run 5 miles without stopping for breath or walking because I'm winded. When I hit that goal, I'm buying myself a nicer pair of running shoes. I may be athletic, but I'm still a girl. :)

Over the last year or so, I've learned the value of celebrating small victories. I think it makes you more fun to be around when you're excited about life. And it makes you a more positive person. There's too many negative things that happen in life to get caught up on. Life happens and we have to deal with whatever comes our way, but really, there's more to life than the obstacles that come in our way. So, I say celebrate the little things. Set big goals. But, don't overlook the victories along the way. It makes the journey more fun.

If every step has purpose, then every step along the way has value. Celebrate the value and the victory in the journey.

Lifestyle Changes

I started running a little over a year ago. I noticed that, at the age of 23, my metabolism was not what it used to be...the only solution that came to mind was to become more active. It came slow. The first time I ran a full mile without stopping, I can't tell you how proud I was. It was a huge accomplishment for me. And from then on, I was hooked.

The year got rougher because it seemed like every few weeks I was coming down with strep throat, sinus infections, sore throats, bronchitis, etc. The last several months of the year, my running became sporadic at best. When the new year hit and I finally got over all the infections I had been fighting, I laced up my running shoes yet again. I'm not saying I'm running exactly 4 times every week, but I am out there at least every other day. I dont go more than 3 days without running anymore. I can't. It doesn't feel right.

The last couple mornings, I've been having to go work 9am-6pm. However, by the time 6/6:30 rolls around, the humidity is a killer. I've decided to just go to bed earlier, set my alarm for 6am, run for an hour, shower, then go to work. If you know me, you know how out of character it is. I've never been a morning person, but running is changing that.

I really just never had anything I felt was worth waking up early for. Running really changes my mood for the entire day. I can walk into work knowing no matter what happens, I've already accomplished something. Running is changing my life...literally. I schedule things around the times I plan to run. I've gotten some friends into running recently. I'm waking up early, voluntarily, without someone trying to taser me out of bed.

And now, I'm committed to running this half marathon. The crazy thing is, the change happened so gradually, so naturally, that it didn't feel like a sacrifice. I never felt like I was losing anything. I think that's how real changes happen. When you are passionate about something, it changes you. And when changes happen, it doesn't feel like a sacrifice because you truly want to do it. No one is forcing you. No one is holding it over your head.

I suppose the change is happening because I'm running with purpose. I'm running now for something bigger than myself. With that said, I hope there's something in your life that you're passionate about...that gets you out of bed in the morning. And when you find it, do it with purpose.

Getting Started

So it's been made official. I've bought my plane ticket to Memphis. I've filled out the registration & signed up. Now, all I have to do is train to run 13.1 miles and fundraise $750. In a matter of 6 months. Piece of cake...right!?

I'd rather eat a piece of cake...or the whole cake...than bug people for donations for anything. Or, go outside on a hot Louisiana day and run.

But I've signed up & bought the plane ticket. I'm pretty much committed to this thing, come hell or high water.

I've signed up to run the St. Jude's Memphis (half) Marathon December 3, 2011. It's such a great fundraiser for a great organization. This year's goal for the marathon is to raise $3 million for St. Jude's Hospital. I've set a goal to raise $750 over the next 6 months. I really don't know what's going to be more challenging: training to run the 13.1 miles or raising the $750. I'm up for the challenge.

For nearly the last year and a half, I've taken up running. I've run regularly for a few months, get out of the habit of running for a month or so, then jump back into it. I've really wanted to make running part of my lifestyle, though. I began thinking of ways to improve my commitment to running as well as setting goals. It's also been heavy on my mind that I'm turning 25 this year and wanted to do something meaningful. The race is the Saturday before my birthday on Monday, December 5th. When I found that out, I was hooked. The more I started reading about the St. Judes Marathon and Half Marathon, I found out you could not only sign up to run the race, but run it as a St. Jude Hero. Running as a St. Jude Hero means you've committed to setting a fundraising goal for the hospital. There are incentives to raise different levels of money. I'm not sure how much I'll actually raise, but I know any amount is a blessing for the hospital. And I'm so used to getting gifts for my birthday, I just wanted to be able to give back...and maybe make a difference in someone else's life.

St. Jude provides each St. Jude Hero with a fundraising page. Click here to visit my page, track my progress, or make a donation.