Weekly Run: Accountability & Goals

This week was the first week of our running challenge.

It's a small step in helping me reach my goal of making running a lifestyle.

Not just a yearly attempt to get running then hurt my body because I didn't listen to it.

This week I've loved running! 

Being so in tune with my body's nutritional needs.

Eating only fruits, vegetables and seeds I thought I would lag.

However I've felt the opposite. 

It's been freeing!

No calorie counting, no pace checking, no binge eating.

Nutrition the way God created it.

Relying on Him the way I've often ignored.

This year I want to run 600 miles and just maybe finally tackle that half marathon.

I want to be that person who has a 13.1 sticker on her mini van, or maybe I'll settle for a headband.

I'm starting to visualize reaching my goals: being able to say I ran 13.1 and running my 600th mile.

Until then I want to have little reminders around to remind me that life is an endurance race.  

It's not about finishing the fastest, but consistency and having a joyful heart.

God often places Hebrews 12:1-3 on my heart:

"Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!"

Life is a"marathon" and I have the best example to follow in His foot steps.

This week I ran:

Monday: 2.5 miles {10:07/mile} + stretching 

Wednesday: 2.51 miles {10:09/mile} + .29 mile cool-down

Friday: 2.15 miles {9:54/mile} + a quick yoga session

Saturday: Anticipating a 3 mile run in the sun!

A friend just gave me the 10 minute trainer program, so I'm excited to add that next week.

Follow along on the DailyMile!

Running the Race

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! 

-Hebrew 12:1-3 (The Message)

Here is a confession that I've kind of made me before, but I'll say it more blunt today: I'm a quitter.   It's my natural and I was often allowed to quit things when I was younger, I put on a good show.  Now don't get me wrong, my parents never let me quit the important things that involved church, service, school, etc.  So now that I'm older, I am reteaching myself how to persevere, try new things, and find a way to push through and accomplish the new tasks at hand whether its fitness, daily devotion time, housework, parenting and teaching, etc.  

Since "spring has sprung" I've felt like I have a fresh new start.  Don't get me wrong I have my rough days and I know that there are seasons for everything, so it won't always be this fresh spring in my step, but I'm savoring this new found stage of life.  

Right now I'm pushing my body spiritually and physically.  In the past it's been one of the other and looking back on it, there was alway a component missing.  I would let me spiritual health slip while training for this or that, then I would focus on spiritual aspects and miss finding time for my physical health.  Last month I start doing a guided study through my Father's letters to me and I've been beginning my training for a ten mile race.  

Don't get me wrong, I've missed runs or days in the Word, but the most important component for me this time has been my new found freedom.  Yes, freedom.  Freedom to say, it's ok to miss a run or day in the word, but what happened yesterday can't influence the fact that I need to get in the word or on the road TODAY.  When I was talking to a friend today I said, "Don't let Monday's failure to run keep you home Wednesday too.  Failure isn't a bad thing as long as you learn from it."  Something I realized at that moment I'm learning.

A few months ago when I went to a women's retreat I was very convicted that I don't start things because I'm afraid I'll just fail, so why start.  We read a piece of scripture, that I can't remember, but it was talking about vines on a gate and a very vivid picture of a old rusty gate with out of control vines that have been growing unkept for years.  That was a picture of me and my heart.  Today I can say that I let God break me, (and He continues to) but He is building me up and giving me confidence in Him.  I can accomplish the task set before me whether being a teaching mother, caring wife, good housekeeper, running mom, or spending time in the word daily, but it's not because of anything I do, but because I can do all things through Christ's strength, not my own.

"Running is the greatest metaphor of life, because you get out of it what you put into it."

-Oprah Winfrey

Kelty Speedsteer Swivel Deluxe

Lastly, the awesome Kelty jogging stroller I'm getting to log many miles with.  After lots of research, review reading, coupon searching, and video watching I got this stroller down from $375 to....$168!!! That is a 55% savings.  And I can't wait to get it so I can start logging some long miles with it.

Decisions: Jogging Stroller

Ok, so I've been wanting to do a half marathon forever!  I've never got the guts up to train, let alone race.  So now that I have a little one I love getting out more then ever, however my old hand-me-down jogger was awful to push!  It pulled one way, then the other.  My fingers end up cramping more the rest of my body, which is saying a lot.

Today I sold the "big blue beast," as I affectionately called it, in a yard sale to put the money toward my infamous new stroller.  Next up on the list of things to sell: my sweet Trek bike.  It's just no longer practical and I've barely ridden it in the last five plus years.

So now the search is on and it's a pretty big decision to make.  I'll be logging around twenty miles a week fairly soon.  Even though popularity wise it seems like a no brainer to go with the BOB revolution, my pocket says to go with a more practical option with the Schwinn Turismo.

BOB Revolution: I love everything about the BOB and honestly haven't read one bad review!!  It's super light weight, lockable wheel, super huge sunshade (the one in the picture extends), it's going to last the wear-and-tear in the years to come, super easy to push, and I'm sure so much more.  There isn't one thing I don't love about it, except for its price. Boo!  I am however scouring the internet to find a nice used one.

Schwinn Turismo:  I really love all the features about this one.  It has the added ipod hook up to let the little one have a dance party, a kid tray, all the things that the BOB has, except for it's a bit heavier and I'm concerned how it will hold up over time.  It make me a little nervous.  

Any runners input would be great!  I'll say a prayer, see how much money I make off my bike, and see what happens after vacation when I get to order it.