Adding mileage

I forgot to add my mileage! 1.5 for 4 days is 6 miles of walking/running for me :)

Catching up

Karissa and I have done a total of 5 days: I'll do another day on my own tomorrow morning, and be up to 6 before she and I hit week 3 of the program, which really ramps up from here on out. The first two weeks was building a tolerance to movement, lol. Now we actually start going for time and distance (5k/30 min). I'm not loving the dust in the air, but I do love the company, and I love the feeling of accomplishment when I'm done. And I love having a goal to work towards. Just knowing that the 5k is my first goal gives me motivation to continue. I'm hoping Andrew gets motivated to go with me too, but so far, that's still work in progress :) Oh, well...baby steps. Once I get the 5k down, I'm going to work on getting comfortable with that distance, and improving my time.

As for strides in life, I'm proud to say that my patience is much better. Reading that book is encouraging and convicting...ouch in a good way!

Longest Run

Yesterday I headed out for a run, didn't know how far I was really going, just knew it was a LONG run. I haven't really been consistent in my running for the last three weeks or so. Some days I just don't feel like running, so I don't (nice freedom to have coming from a collegiate runner). However, I have missed being consistent. So anyways....yesterday I ended up going on about a 6.5 mile run I think. It took me about 54 minutes. By the last two miles my knees were starting to ache due to the amount of asphalt in the run, but I have to say that long slow distance was what I needed. I'm pretty sure I had not ran 6 miles since I was in track...but I'm looking forward to the next one. I still am thinking half-marathon in the coming future. We shall see.

Add: 6.5 miles

Life = Running

11 years. I've been running for 11 years, that is half my life. What started out as a sport in 6th grade has become my metaphor for life. Some say life is like a race, but that is not what I'm saying. Life is like running.

I have good days in running, I have bad days in running. There are days where I jump out of bed to run and days where I roll over and punch the snooze button one more time. Some days are easy, some days I just get through, and some days are hard. There are days when I get that runner's high and feel as if I could run forever. My feet are light as feathers and my lungs just drink in the air. Then there are days where my arms pump and my legs turn over in a mechanical mindless sort of way. On the rough days my abdomen pinches, my head pounds, and my shoes seem to be super-glued down.

As I run the scenery is constantly changing around me. The seasons bring rain, wind, sunshine, snow, heat, and cold. The ground beneath my feet is hard, mushy, or dusty. The path ahead is flat, hilly, smooth, uneven, or full of obstacles. Sometimes the path winds out of sight and I can hardly see where I am going, other times it stretches straight before me going on for miles and miles. Every now and then I come to a split or intersection in the path and I have to choose which way to go. I don't know what each path will be like, whether it will be an easy downhill or a rocky curving climb.

Sometimes I run with other people. Our paths will cross and for a time I have someone to share my scenery and path. Someone to boost me forward and encourage me when I don't feel so great. Sometimes I run alone. Sometimes for a short time, and sometimes for miles.

The days are easy or difficult depending on how I feel, the path, the scenery around me, and if I'm running with others. Some days I can run fast with light feet on the flat, gravel roads, chatting with a friend, under the clear blue skies. Other days it is a bit slower taking all I have to face the pelting rain alone on the puddle covered roads with the cold air stinging my lungs. Fast or slow I still run on.

Occasionally, there have been times where I slow down and even stop. I am injured and the pain so great I cannot move forward. The path is perilous, rocky, and I cannot see what is before me. The pain pierces me and I am a crumpled heap in the path grasping at my injury. I am alone. In time I will crawl, stand up, walk, and even run. How long it will take I don't know, each injury is different. But I do know I will run again, I always do . . . no matter the path, the scenery, how I feel, or who I am with . . . I press on (Philippians 3:12-14, 4:11-13).

Mileage to add: 11 running and 4.5 other

It's been awhile...lol

Hey, I'm back! I officially SUCK at posting...and keeping consistent track of when I do workout. During the spring semester, I was really good for the first two months of working out 3 or 4 days a week, on the elliptical, for 30-40 minutes. I have no idea how many miles that was, so I won't add anything. Then clinicals started, and life ran away and left me in the dust. :) Now that life's settled down a little more, I'm getting back into a pattern. Karissa and I are starting the Couch to 5k program. She's a great encouragement and I like listening to her talk instead of my lungs! lol. So far, we've done day 1 and 2, and it's a total of 2.5 (?) miles. We go around Athena and alternate jogging and walking, according to the program. It will gradually increase in time and intensity, so that by the end of nine weeks, (3 days a week), I'll be running 3 miles. I'm really excited to have a partner and to get back into running regularly.

Anyway, I'll start posting more regularly now. :)

Running/Walking: 2.5 miles

June 17

Well I can say that after a month off from running I am a wreck...I have never had such a hard time getting back in shape :( I don't know why things are so hard. It is very disappointing and soon I will be moving to LaGrande for work and I worry about having a regular running schedule over there, not to mention Zach and I cannot run together anymore. I can't really say how far we ran the week he was here, so I will just record today's running and not all I have done since being home for the summer, sorry! I wish I could run long miles and I am jealous of those that can. I want to just run and run and be able to pray, but its hard for me to pray if I am not running on a treadmill...why? I don't really know, I always get more tired running outside and focus on running harder or the ground so I don't biff it. Anyway, today dad and I rode out the flat on our bikes, than ran then rode back and around town.

Add: 1 mile running and 3 miles biking

I run to praise my Lord...or to stay sane...just depends on the day.

So, I didn't record my mileage at school, but since I have gotten home I am at 72.45 miles for the month. That's about 18 miles a week. It has been a bit sporadic, but I definitely feel in much much better shape. My last run of 5.5 miles took me 47:26 minutes to complete, so a little under a 9 minute mile. Feels good. Also, I am beginning a couch to 5k program with Heather, which I'm pretty stoked about.
As my post says, I run to stay sane sometimes. There are moments when my emotions get so strong I just have to release them and running is a healthy way to do this. I sometimes feel that if I tire my body out, I will tire my mind out as well. If I can just exhaust myself enough I won't have thoughts racing through my mind. I won't have energy to feel or think. Some runs are about this, other runs are about praising my God. I look out and seek the fields, clear blue skies, and breathtaking space. I can't help but praise God the creator. Sometimes I pray, sometimes I praise Him, sometimes I reflect on scripture or what He is doing in my life. Depending on the day I run to stay sane, or to praise my Savior, either way it works for me.

long time, no post

I officially suck as creator and maintainer of this blog. I will update tomorrow.
--the not so great creator