Marathon Reviews

It's been a while since I wrote here.  Time, once again, has just been going and going of course.  But I think it is important to stop and review my races and life.

3 Bridges Marathon was my first marathon. As in previous post, I have stated I was running that one for my grandmother whom I miss greatly. She sacrificed to raise me and my brother.  I ran on what would be her 90th birthday.  This was such a sweet race.  The race director having passed away just a bit earlier really brought a new layer to the race day that I was not at all expecting.  God did mighty things that day for me.  He gave me a great running friend to help me through the tough spots.  And not just any friend, but one who laid his hands on me and prayed.  Twice.  What a blessing to feel God's presence like that.  The race went great.  I finished just over 4:58 which is more than I thought was ever possible for me.  My great aunt and cousin was setting at the finish line waiting for me and that was such a wonderful part of my day.  I got tired and "over it" between mile 22.5 and 23.5. Then was ready to finish.  Got to find the energy to jump at mile 26 which was a first for me.  I never can jump at a race. 

My second marathon was Mississippi Blues two weeks later.  This one I was more nervous on.  I was running it alone.  But I met a guy at the start line that had a purpose to his running.  He ran for his daughter and all the victims of substance abuse.  Not the way you would think though.  It wasn't that they overdosed or did anything "wrong".  They were at the wrong place at the wrong time.  His daughter was shot and killed by a guy who was under the influence.  We don't always think about the other person.  We teach our own kids to be responsible with their choices, but we don't think about what can happen due to other people's choices when they are under the influence.  This guy who chose to run with me that day was such a positive light.  He shined God's grace and love.  I only ran about 3 miles of that race without him by my side.  But I know God was there the whole 26.2+ miles.  This guy's name was John.  John happens to also be my favorite book in the bible.  It is that book that I found salvation through.  John 15:3 reads "Now ye are clean through the words which I have spoken unto you."  That verse will never leave my heart and mind.  The fun thing at this race is that I never hit the wall.  I never had that mile that I was over it and wanted to quit.  John was very positive and kept me going without really doing anything specific.  I can't be thankful enough for him that day.  That day I decided that I can run marathons, that maybe I am a distance runner after all.

God is so good.  I am so thankful for the cross and what he did.  This morning as I listened to Charles Stanley on tv, I really got a remembrance from that sermon.  I am reminded that there is nothing we can do here to receive salvation. There is nothing in our works of this life that can bring up peace and eternal life.  There is nothing we can do or buy to fill the emptiness and the void that we will feel.  No matter how many relationships here on earth you go through searching for love, will you be able to find what your soul searches for.  No amount of money and no amount of stuff.  If it was about something that I can do to have eternal life, then there would've been no need for Jesus to suffer and die on that cross for me. 

Mentality, 8 sleeps out

Well, 3 Bridges Marathon is only 8 sleeps away.  I still feel nothing really.  Starting to get a little excited about it.  My mentality right now is this is my race.  It is my first marathon.  I run it for sweet Sophia and for my loving, grandmother that I miss greatly.  I have to have fun.  And I have to focus on doing what I can do.  Listening to my body.  Running my pace.  Enjoying the journey.  This race though is to remind me and others that we must not take time for granted.  We need to love on others  We need to find the joy in life.  The joy though can only come from one place. 

Joy is defined by the Webster Dictionary as "a feeling of great happiness
: a source or cause of great happiness : something or someone that gives joy to someone".  I have found over my short time here that true joy can only come from the Lord.  This Christmas, I pray that my loved ones will all find true joy.  That they will grow closer to the Lord or find Him for the first time if they don't know Him yet.  Having a relationship with the Savior is the greatest gift one could get.  And it is a free gift.  You just have to accept it.  It doesn't mean that life will always be fun and easy.  But it does mean that you will always have someone walking beside you and giving you joy in all things.  The valleys and the mountain tops.  You will never have to walk through a trial or a triumph alone.  What joy!

Not really feeling anything

I had someone ask me the other day if I was getting nervous yet.  I am not.  I have 12 sleeps left before I run my first ever marathon.  I should be nervous.  I have pain in my hip and knee and foot.  I should be nervous. But I am not.  These last two weeks I am focusing on strength training and running a little, but not a lot.  Thinking the more rest I give my hip and foot the better.  The knee has always been an issue so that's no big surprise. 

I still think about what an honor this is going to be to get to run this race.  It is only my grandmother's birthday.  I wish she were here with me to watch me.  To cheer me on.  I know she would be proud of me.  She played a crucial role in who I am today.  And God tells me that through Him I am a woman.  A woman with a heart like my grandmothers.  It is also the birthday of one of my best friends.  And I have sweet Sophia to run for too.  That alone is a blessing.  She reminds me to be strong.

19 Sleeps and Counting...

The Duggar family may have 19 kids and counting (up), but I have 19 sleeps and counting (down).  If you have been following me, you know I have been battling a hip issue.  God is good and faithful.  He is healing me.  I have put my hope and trust in Him.  My faith is in Him.  Faith is believing without seeing.  It is easy to believe in what you see, but things are taken to a whole other level when you have believe without seeing.  Without anything tangible to wrap your hands on.  But I also see the rewards of faith in Jesus Christ as so much better than anything I can hold in my hands.  He is never failing.  He is never changing.  He will run and walk every step with me on December 27th as I honor the memory of my grandmother and run the miles for my sweet buddy Sophia Rose. 

I ran my 20 mile training run this past weekend.  I got tired.  My legs felt heavy.  But I kept pushing, and God kept my hip and legs going. I woke the following morning with no pain.  How amazing!  I haven't been pain free since before my half marathon at the end of October. 

God is good.  Have faith in Him and Him alone.  Man and this world will disappoint.  Will break our hearts.  But if we trust in the Lord, He will never fail us.  He may not give us what we want, but when He doesn't, we have to know that He always knows best.  There is no telling what is lying ahead that He is protecting us from. 

Train hard. Training pays off.  But rest too.  Rest days are as crucial as our training days.  Consistency.  Balance.  Variety.  Listen to your body.  Not your mind.  Your mind will give up on you.  Your body may give out, but make sure it is your body and not your mind.  Train well and your body will get your through.  My Savior gets me through.

27 Sleeps...well, maybe only 26

Today I woke up thinking...only 27 more sleeps until my first marathon.  Wow.  (Unless I don't sleep tonight at all, as it seems to be, then it is only 26 sleeps).  And I haven't totally lived up to all I hoped this marathon training would do.  I calculated my miles this morning and was quite surprised though.  Although I didn't run 17 days of the month due to an injury, and several days I didn't run because I only run three to four times a week, I still go 90 miles in this month!  90!!!  That's crazy for me!  I feel good about the race.  It is coming quickly, but I am focused with the Optimized Fat Metabolism way of eating and focused in my training.  I am not getting to run quite as much as I would like as I am still battling this hip issue.  However, I am focused.  I am continuing to run what I can, strength train, and practice yoga.  Most importantly, I am praying.  I know God has a plan for me and this is part of that plan.  He will get me there.  My OFM way of eating and Vespa is going to also play a huge role in getting me to race day, through the 26.2 miles to crossing the finish line.  And it will get me there without soreness and pain the day after.  That's one of my favorite things about it.

There has been a lot of loss and disappointment around lately.  I am thankful that God has it all in his control.  I am blessed my family is safe and healthy.  I am blessed in many ways.  My heart breaks for my friends who are going through loss and disappointments right now.  But I am blessed by being in their lives.  Being there to pray for them and with them.  Being there to help them laugh.  To help them in whatever way God decides to use me to do so.  My heart still hurts for them, but I feel so blessed today to be used by God.  That's one of the many amazing things about my Savior.  He uses us and blesses us in His plan.  I in no way get pleasure and feel good that my loved ones hurt.  But I feel blessed and thankful that God has chosen me to be in their lives, to be there to help comfort them.

God does the comforting.  God is the one that gets us through our struggles and eases our pains.  But He uses people, humans.  And it is a blessing to know God is using you.  Accept Him as your Lord and Savior today if you haven't already.  Surrender yourself to His plan and see how He can use you.  I know He still has work for me to do. How?  Because I am still alive.  I am still here.  He isn't done with me yet.  He has decided that some have served Him faithfully for many years.  They have fulfilled His plan for their lives and He has taken them home.  It leaves us on this earth with a pain in our hearts.  We are only human and we feel grief, sorrow, and heartache.  But He will comfort us.  He will love on us.  He will bring us through.  He helps us to move forward as we recognize He has a plan for us too.  There are things for us to do here.  May I live every day for His honor and glory.  I know I won't do all He wants me to, as I am not perfect and am only human.  But I know that I desire to do my best for Him.  I have caused many stripes on His back, and I strive today to make Him smile.