8.73

I went a little later in the morning today...about 8:30am. I didn't pay one bit of attention to my pace. I just went at a slow and comfortable pace. I knew I would need to do that to get my distance in with this kind of heat. The heat really got to me. I stopped midway to consume an entire water bottle. Now, I am off to take a shower, take 3 of the 4 kids on a picnic lunch and time at the park. It should be a nice day for that!

Have a great Saturday!

Distance--8.73 miles
Time--1:23:17
Pace--9:32/mi

Falling Face Down At His Feet

God's Holiness

When people saw a revelation of the presence of God in the Bible, they always had the same reaction--they fell face down at His feet!

Ezekiel 1:28
Acts 9:4
Daniel 10:4-9
Revelation 1:13-18

I love Christ's response in Revelation when John fell at His feet as a dead man: "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living One. I died, and behold, I am alive for evermore."

God is so high above us in His perfect Holiness, He is so different from us....and yet He is constantly near us! I love the fact that He is so holy and yet so personal to each of us...a perfect loving balance.

No matter where we go, He is there!

Psalm 139:7-10

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.

I praised God on my run this morning because He is so holy and far above me, a sinner...but His grace reaches down and His spirit stays near to me all the time. As holy as He is, He still wants to be near us! What a wonderful comfort.

Distance--4.41 miles
Time--39:10
Pace--8:52/mi

I made it out the door about 6:45am and the sun was already shining brightly! What a gorgeous day! I pray your day is full of God's blessings!

Nutrition and Running

Today is a rest day for me so I thought I would spend just a minute writing on the topic of nutrition...one of my favorite topics, I must say! I think being a nutritionist or a dietician would be such a fun job. The great thing about my interest in this topic is instead of focusing on a career outside the home, God can use it to bless my family and encourage good health for those that I love.

I have always had a desire to eat healthy. I remember vividly all of the fresh garden vegetables that my parents grew as I was young and into my teen years. At the time I was not a big fan of the garden, but I think it made me like vegetables more. We often would eat a freshly picked tomato, sliced with salt and pepper for a snack. My parents did not always eat and prepare the healthiest of foods, though...but all in all I saw and experienced fresh grown foods and learned to appreciate and enjoy them. Of course, I ate my share of junk food growing up...fast food was always a welcomed treat. But into my adult years, I began seeking out ways to eat healthier and have enjoyed studying up on it.

My husband, on the other hand, grew up eating fried chicken, with mashed potatoes and corn as the main vegetables. Whenever we would go to Mike's mom's house early on in our marriage we would have lots of different choices...all delicious, but not healthy at all. Lots of saturated fatty foods...with very little salads and fresh veggies. Mike's mom begin having problems with high blood pressure and high cholesterol and passed away in her 60's from a heart attack. Although she had been to the doctor many times, she was just given meds...with no real talk of lifestyle changes in the area of diet and exercise. It was a big shock to us and we were all so very sad!

The good news is that there are ways to take care of ourselves and have a healthy life. God is sovereign and He alone has our days numbered and knows the time of our death, so I am not thinking that it could change or prolong things outside of God's plans, by any means. But, God has given us so many healthy foods to enjoy...He created them and has provided them for us. It really is a blessing to think about all of the naturally grown foods that He has planned for us...I just want to be a good steward of those provisions. There are foods that are more healthful than others, so I try to make those healthy foods the ones we consume the most.

If you keep up with my Lifesong blog, you know that I have been eating a pretty much vegan diet for the last 9 months or so--Focusing on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and legumes, nuts and other healthy fats. I know it has been good for me... lots of evidence for that. The hormonal issues that I was having have diminished so much that I have been almost PMS free! My periods have gone back to the normal cycle time and the pre-menopausal symptoms I was having have improved greatly! I am not saying that eating this way is for everybody, but I know for me it has been a really good thing! I have been able to find great healthy recipes...I have learned what to eat when eating out, and I have enjoyed what have been my favorites foods anyway...fresh veggies and fruits! Meat was not ever my favorite thing to eat on my plate.

Since I have begun running longer distances, adding hills, and speed work, I have seen that my somewhat restrictive diet was not enough for me. The first thing I noticed was the weight I was losing...too much! I am normally on the low weight end of the charts for my height. I have a somewhat small frame(small boned)...I am tall(about 5'8"). I have skinny genes from my dad's side of the family...so losing weight was not what I needed to do! Also, my energy level was not bouncing back after running...and the potty issue I have mentioned before was getting worse. A healthy diet has lots of fiber,so that was becoming a problem for me.

As a result of these things, I decided to bring back some foods that are still very healthy, but I was not allowing due to them not being a plant source. I have added these foods back into my diet and I think it has helped a lot. I eat organic omega 3 eggs a couple of times a week...also I have added fat free greek yogurt, which I love and have actually missed a lot! I buy this brand...it is so yummy! I am also eating salmon about 2 times a week and other seafoods occasionally...like sea scallops, shrimp, and tilapia. But, still, most of my meals are still plant based....I love fresh salads, vegetable stir fry with brown rice, and fresh berries. I eat a serving of blueberries almost every day! I love the Superfoods website and book. It has lots of information that tells why certain foods are better than others. It explains about phytochemicals and nutrients that are in the superfoods and why we can not duplicate those nutrients with vitamin supplements. There are just too many to imitate and they can't be imitated! We need to get all or most of our nutrition from the foods we eat, not vitamins. I do think there are times when supplements are needed, though...but they shouldn't be taken to take the place of good foods.

So what am I eating these days?

Organic salads with lots of raw veggies
Salmon about 1 time a week or less (wild, not farm raised)I had two times a week, but it is never that often.
Other various forms of seafoods sometimes
Organic eggs with Omega 3 (only once every couple of weeks or so)
Vegetables...all kinds...raw, roasted, stir fried in olive oil spray, steamed, and grilled.
Fruits...lots of berries--strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries. Also, bananas, oranges, apples.
Grains-- Oatmeal(the real kind, not instant), brown rice, whole wheat pastas and breads, and others.
Beans and legumes
Greek fat free yogurt...still limiting this, but every once in a while is okay.
Some low fat cheeses...on some salads and veggie pizzas. Very sparingly...
Whole wheat pastas with marinara sauces...all kinds and veggies added in.
Baked sweet potatoes and regular baked potatoes.
Some fortified cereals (needs to be whole grain and low sugar) with rice dream milk
Calcium fortified orange juice
RW Knudsen organic fruit juices
Healthy fats like Olive Oil, almonds, walnuts.
The healthiest bagels I can find and MaraNatha peanut butter
Oh, and I almost forgot...green tea! I especially like this kind. I drink one cup of regular in the mornings and decaf the rest of the day. Coffee is not something I drink on a regular basis...but an occasional decaf soy latte is good!

That's a lot of food! I hope this was not too boring and long! I just have a passion about eating healthy. One thing I have been learning also though is that even though this is a priority for me, I must have a healthy balance...especially in regards to my children. I need to be somewhat flexible with them and make it fun to be healthy. I do allow many fun and normal foods for them. And, if I want to splurge sometimes, I do! Nothing like a big plate of chips and salsa...my favorite treat!

5 K

I have been thinking about running a 5k sometime this summer. I'm not sure if I will...like I have said before, I don't know if I am cut out for races...they make me nervous and I feel like I put too high expectations on myself. I like to set goals for myself with my own personal running, though. I have a goal of running a 5k in under 25 minutes...I almost made it today.

Distance--3.11
Time--25:24
Pace--8:10/mi (crazy hard!)

I waited until mid morning to run(about 10am). I was really tired last night and Mike asked if I would sleep in a bit. He is good to know what I need. Sleeping in until 7:30 was really nice! I ate a huge breakfast and had some blueberry green tea(a little caffeine). I had my quiet time and did some review work with Evie, then I went out to run. It was hot and it was VERY difficult. Midway through my run, I thought I would have to stop...but I just slowed down my pace for a minute and kept pushing to increase my pace as I continued. I think I started out too fast. All in all, I am thankful that I could run and improve my time a little.

Thanks for sharing in my running victories and failures...it is nice to have *friends* who can encourage eachother in the Lord and in our running journey. I pray I can be an encouragement to you all. This has been such a blessing to me. Thank you so much!

Revelation 15:3-4

And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

You alone are Holy!

5 miles

I was so pleased to find some breakfast surprises when I got home from running this morning. I asked Gracie yesterday to cut up a cantaloupe before she went to bed so it could be chilled for this morning's breakfast. She went to bed last night and had apparently forgot to do what I had asked. This morning she told me that she was laying in bed at 11pm and remembered...so she got up, came down stairs, and cut it up so that it was all ready this morning. I was pleased with her obedience...even though it would have been easy for her to stay in bed and sleep. She chose the right thing! I love seeing fruit in my children's hearts of obedience--it gives me such joy!

Also, my sweet husband stayed up late last night and baked cinnamon muffins for the kids. I came home to a breakfast already prepared...by a daughter who chose to obey and a husband that gives so much of his time and energy to serve his family. I am blessed!

There was a thick heavy fog this morning when I ran. My legs felt a little tired this morning...I just pushed on and felt better at about the 3 1/2 mile point.

Distance--5 miles
Time--46:49
Pace--9:22/mi

Before leaving my home, I read from the book of John about the holiness of God. I love these verses. Shouldn't we all say this along with Peter? John 6:60-69

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Hill Repeats

It was back to my hill repeats today. Nothing like a steep incline to wake you up in the morning! Most of my run was in the rain today...nothing hard like the 10k I ran in a few weeks ago, but just some steady light rain. People probably thought I was crazy...doing hill repeats in the rain! I am sure I looked pretty funny.

1x .5miles steady long hill

2x very steep victory hill (my goal is three of these in a row)

3x very steep short hill

1x long medium hill on the way home

Total distance--3.65...and a very slow pace!

This week I am doing a study on God's Holiness. I read this passage this morning.

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Long Run

I was glad to be able to get my long run in this morning. Today's weather is so nice and this morning was perfect for a run. Warm with a cool breeze and slightly sunny. I felt pretty good on the run, but that last mile was hard...I was ready to stop. I think I could add on another 3.1 for a half...but I will need to work on my endurance some more. I am thankful I could run the 10 today and look forward to working on more distance.

Distance--10.06 miles
Time--1:36:08
Pace--9:33/mi

Would you mind praying for my mom? She went to the hospital last night while I was out of town with my oldest daughter. She has had bronchitis this week, but we thought she was getting better. She has a terrible cough. She began to get very nauseated and vomiting yesterday so my brother, who is a doctor, said she needed to go on in and make sure it was not pneumonia or some complications with that. I am off to go check on her now. She will probably be in the hospital today and possibly tomorrow. Just pray she will regain her strength and get over this. The fluids are helping her...the last time she got sick like this, she became dehydrated and had some serious complications. We don't want that to happen again. Mike and I were at the hospital until late last night and we will be there some today. Thank you for your prayers!

I pray you all have a blessed weekend and a wonderful Lord's Day tomorrow!

Relaxed Run Today

Distance--4.41 miles
Time--41:19
Pace--9:22/mi

I am hoping to rest from running tomorrow and either run a long run on Saturday(10 miles) or we may try to go hiking. A hike sounds fun to me right now. But, it is also supposed to rain all weekend! I guess a lot will depend on the weather.

Oh,I have been meaning to tell you all... it is official. I have lost a toenail. Remember when I first began my long runs in my old shoes that were a whole size too small? Well, all of that bruising resulted in me losing my second biggest toenail on my left foot. All of my toenails are a nice bright red and that one is half grown back with lots of yucky skin all around it...the polish is gone with the nail. It is very ugly.

Double Dabble Run

If your kids read the Cul De Sac kids books, you will recognize that saying from Abby, the big sister of the 2 adopted Korean boys. Such cute books!

I had to use that saying here because I ran two times...a double run today. It just worked out that way and was quite nice actually.

I ran this morning and then also late afternoon. Abigail had a 2 mile run at the University's track for her soccer team this afternoon....the parents were invited to run, but I do not like running at the track too much unless it is for some speed running or to run the bleachers. I took off and ran a little around the campus...it was hot, but it was nice to have a change of environment.

Morning run:

Distance--3.36 miles
Pace--8:54/mi

Afternoon run:

Distance--2.92 miles
Pace--8:54/mi

How funny that my pace was the same for both! Consistency is good, I guess.

O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

As I ran I thought about God's beautiful creation...how detailed everything is from the different leaves on the trees to the smallest of smallest details that we observe. How great God is to have the power to make it all and set it in place. That is TRUE GREATNESS. And yet, He still thinks of us and cares for us. Amazing love!

On a sidenote: We are all very excited about Kris Allen winning tonight. Lauren, who cuts my hair, went to high school with Kris and says he was just as nice, quiet, and humble back then as he is on the show. We are celebrating with him tonight! How fun!

Enjoying the Coolness

This morning it was cool...high 50's and the sun was starting to shine brightly. I was really kind of cold at first in my sleeveless Nike tank and shorts, but soon warmed up as I approached my first hill. It was really the perfect temp and humidity level for running. I know the heat and humidity are coming soon, so I enjoyed it very much today!

Distance--7.5 miles rolling hills with 2 pretty steep ones
Time--1:09:47
Pace--9.17/mi

Ipod highlights--The Glory by Avalon, Blessed Be the Name by Matt Redman, and True Love by Phil Wickham

I read this passage before running, still focusing on the greatness of God:

Great Is the Lord Psalm 145:1-7

I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

We should be declaring His greatness everyday.

How Great is Our God!

The sun was shining brightly this morning so I went outside for my quiet time today. It was a glorious morning! For the summer, I am changing things up a bit and am going to do part of my quiet time before my run, so I can be thinking on what the Lord taught me that morning. I have been running first (early) and then working in my quiet time before breakfast. This hasn't always worked and I have been seeing that I have not been as consistent as I should be. I also have needed some more structure to my Bible reading, so I have developed a plan! Does that surprise you? I seem to thrive on schedules and plans...I just operate better this way. The truth is I know myself well enough to know it would not get done if I didn't have some sort of structure and goal. That is why I love having weekly menu plans with our dinners, a running schedule, and a quiet time plan. If things don't go as planned, though, it is OKAY! Flexibility is something God has been teaching me, too.

I am going back to some basics. I need this right now. I have even taken much needed time away from facebook and my other blog to get more focused. Some things in life can be allowed and fine to do, but can be a big distraction at times. I have chosen some characteristics of God and will be spending one week on each characteristic..reading scripture that describes the Lord, memorizing some key verses from the passages, and meditating on these truths as I run and throughout the day. My goal is to see how perfect and wonderful God is and think on it daily. I have to train my mind to do this because as the day goes I begin to allow God not to be first and foremost in my thoughts.

This week I am focusing on the Greatness of God. Pretty basic and simple...but yet so profound and mind boggling.

I read these verses before my run this morning:

Psalm 86:8-13

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

I hope you don't mind me sharing these kinds of things here. I feel like this is a small group of us who have some things in common...mainly loving God and running...and that binds our hearts together as friends. I like being able to share things the Lord is teaching me as well as how my running is going.

Ipod highlights were *Who Am I* by Casting Crowns and *Mighty To Save* by Michael W. Smith.



My Run:

I started out feeling really good after resting yesterday, so I decided to push a mile and see how fast I could run it. My first mile was 7:40. Ack--it was hard. I stopped and walked for one minute afterwards and then finished my run at a more relaxed pace.

Distance--4.64 miles
Time--39:36
Pace--8:32/mi

Not For Me

I have recently started reading "Once A Runner". First of all, I am not a fiction reader. I have only read a few fiction books in my life...and most of them were just okay and mainly read as school assignments. I tend to read more instructional type books about Bible instruction and how to love God more in my life. I know my own heart enough to know that I really need these kinds of books in my life more than anything else. But...

I decided to order this book after reading the reviews on it, thinking it might be a good read as I try to improve as a runner. Bad idea.

I know it is heralded as the best running novel ever, but I can not get past the language, especially when it is taking God's name in vain occasionally (well more than a few times). So, after reading a few chapters, I have decided to not read it. It is not for me. Maybe others would not be as bothered by it, but it was disturbing to me and there are much better things out there for me to read.

The Ultramarathon Man did have a few choice words in there, which I didn't like, but there was no taking the Lord's name in vain. There were only a few times that profanity was used, so I am going to go back and black them out because it doesn't change the story at all.

All in all, we have to be careful and discerning about what we read and watch.

Pushing When Tired....

We tried out the level 2 last night on the Shred DVD...all I can say is my deltoid muscles felt like they were on fire. It was much harder than level 1.

After doing level 2 last night, my legs felt really tired today. Running was hard. My legs felt heavy and it took every ounce of energy that I had to run. Saturday is usually my long running day, but with some bad weather coming in(it started raining while I was running) and considering how I felt, I decided to make it a shorter run. Tomorrow is a rest day. Hopefully next week I can get my mileage back up.

Distance--6.18 miles...with some rolling hills and 4 quick sprints at the end.
Time--56:13
Pace--9:06/mi

How much do you push yourself even when you are tired? Do you rest when you feel fatigued or do you think it is better to push through and at least run some. I have books that say 2 different things. What do you think is the best perspective? I know we should listen to our bodies, but if we never push ourselves, how do we ever improve? I am kinda of the mindset that our bodies do better if we allow our muscles to rebuild themselves through good rest times, but only one day here and there. Too much rest time could sabotage our fitness level. What are your thoughts?

6

Distance--6.05 some hills
Time--55:53
Pace--9:13/mi


shred 
–verb (used with object)
1. to cut or tear into small pieces, esp. small strips;

–verb (used without object)
2. to be cut up, torn, etc.

(I copied this from my friend's blog who is also doing the SHRED.)

My children and I have been doing Jillian Michael's Shred dvd. Yes, my 6 year old Evie can do real men version push ups with me!(about 5-10 of them) The beginners level has some really good strength training with weights, too. It made me sore for a couple of days. I am anxious to move up to level 2 and see how I do. Hopefully my kids are learning that it is fun to be fit...and exercise is a delight not a chore!

Trying Something Different Today

I ran today and went a different route---down a long curvy road to a main highway. I liked it. It had one residential area that I circled through to add some distance. There was a little more traffic than what I would like, but I liked the long curvy country type road.

When I got back home, I was hot and tired, but I decided to push it a little more. I've been reading the Ultra Marathon Man and thought I am not hurting enough when I run! Ha! So, I did 6 speed intervals(about 100 yards each). I made myself run about 7 minute mile pace and really pushed myself for speed. I felt so great afterwards...it just relieves so much tension when you push it. I felt really strong. I won't be running any ultra marathons any time soon, but the book is inspiring to be the best you can be by pushing yourself. I have enjoyed it a lot! My husband is about to start the book.

Distance--4.66 mi
Time--42:36
Pace--9:08/mi

Short and Sweet

It was a cool beautiful morning here. There were some lingering clouds, but the sun was beginning to come out as I finished. As I was pushing at the end of my run trying to keep my pace in the 8s, I looked up and saw a rainbow. It was beautiful...I ran in to get my kids to see it and they were all still asleep! We don't see a bright beautiful rainbow like this very often. It reminded me of the fact that I am NEVER alone and His promises are everlasting to each one of us who believe. I needed that reminder today...I am a little nervous about teaching a class tonight at a women's event at our church. But, I know and trust that God's grace will be sufficient...and this is about ministering and serving others and not about myself. I would appreciate your prayers.


My short and sweet run:

Distance--3.47 miles
Time--30:29
Pace--8:47/mi...I can do this on shorter runs...would love it for a 10k.

I worshiped with this song on my new ipod shuffle this morning! It is such a blessing to have God honoring music to fill my thoughts as I run.

True Love by Phil Wickham

Come close listen to the story
About a love more faithful than the morning
The Father gave His only Son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Fathers Broken Heart
Tears were filling Heaven's Eyes
The day that True Love died, the day that True Love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

Search your heart you know you can't deny it
Come on, lose your life just so you can find it
The Father gave His only Son just to save us

The Earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt The Fathers broken heart
Tears were filling Heaven's Eyes
The day that True Love died, the day that True Love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

Now, Jesus is alive

When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

Come close listen to the story

Monday's Run

Distance--6.29 mi
Time--58:23
Pace--9:17/mi

Mike and the kids were so sweet to surprise me with an IPOD shuffle for Mother's Day! I tried it out this morning and it was so great! I think I will enjoy running with music for a change. I had the volume low so I could hear cars around me. I am sure it made me go faster. Some of the songs I enjoyed this morning were Lifesong by Casting Crowns, More Than A Feeling by Boston, Some old Chicago, Mighty to Save by Michael W. Smith, and So Close (such a pretty song!) as I cooled down.

Long Run Today

It was overcast and cool when I began, but the sun popped out about halfway through the run. I stopped once for water at 6.5 miles. I ran slow and steady this morning and ran hard at the end.

Distance--10.05 miles with 2 big hills
Time--1:40:38
Pace--10.01/mi

Our family went to the Kris Allen (Amercian Idol top three) homecoming parade and concert last night. It was a lot of fun! We were pretty far from him, but they had the large screen up so we could see. His brother introduced him and he sang three songs. There was an estimated 15,000 people there! We have never had a contestant live so close to us, so it was a lot of fun to be a part of it! Kris is a worship leader at a church and his pastor got up and prayed before the concert. I wonder if that part will be on American Idol Tuesday?

It Is HOT Today!

Usually Thursday is my rest day...but with the sun shining bright and Abigail needing to run a 2 mile run for soccer, I decided to run this afternoon. The first 2 miles with Abigail went well. We ran a pretty good pace and stayed right under 9 minute miles. She went home; I kept going.

The heat made it really hard today. I think it got close to 90 degrees today. I had to walk up a hill that I usually run up with no problem...but I just felt like I could get too hot. I didn't want to take that chance at all!

I have decided there are 2 things I really love about running...the hot shower/bath after a cold run and the cool breeze in the shade after a hot run! When I finished today there was a nice shady area across the street from my house where I walked to cool down. A nice breeze kicked in and it felt so good!!! Awww....so nice!

Distance--4.87 miles
Time--46:41
Pace--9:35/mi

Am I A Real Runner?

I ran this morning right after a hard rain shower...so there were puddles all over the road. I was a little more tired today...but still pushed and ran hard at times. Two middle aged joggers(men)commented on me being a *real* runner. I laughed and said..."not really, but I try". They said, "well, you look like one anyway"...I said,"It must be the shoes!" They said, "No, it must be how fast you are going!" We laughed!

That conversation made me laugh...afterall, we all know that I am not fast at all....but to them, I was doing well. I took it as a compliment and kept going.

Distance--4.64 mi
Time--43:.29
Pace--9:21/mi....it sure felt faster than this!

Sunshine and Honeysuckles!

I was so thankful to see the sun rising as I ran up a hill this morning...once I reached the top the sun was shining very brightly in my face! Such a beautiful sight after so much rain! I think the sun gave me a reason to run just a little farther today! I wanted to just soak it in!

I ran by 2 honeysuckle patches this morning, too. They must be blooming right now. My pace slowed greatly so I could just take in the fragrant aroma of the sweet honeysuckles...I love that smell!!! It reminds me of my childhood...running barefoot in the grass, being carefree, and enjoying being outside for hours.

This is what running is all about to me. I loved it today!


Distance--7.06 mi
Time--1:08:13
Pace--9:39/mi

Shoes

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit a specialty running store on Friday. I thought that since we were needing to spend extra on a new floor and new tires, that my new running shoes would have to wait. But...my sweet husband surprised me with a runner's world magazine subscription and a trip to the running store that I had been wanting to visit! It was so fun!

First of all, the kind runner woman had me run in my old shoes. Then she measured my foot and felt the way my old shoes fit me. I was wearing a whole size too small! Can you believe that? I'm so glad I went and was fitted...I don't think I would have ever gone up a whole size on my own. She also showed me the bottom of my shoes and said I was a mild supinator...because I was wearing my sole out on the outer heel. She said I needed a moderate stability shoe with some cushioning. The asics gel nimbus(what I have been wearing) is strictly a cushion shoe and I need more support. I tried on 5 pair--a Nike, Asics, Saucony, Brooks, and Mizuno. After running in each one, I decided on this pair:



I also loved the way the Mizuno felt on my foot, but she said that with me increasing my distance, the saucony was going to be more supportive for longer distances.

I ran in them for the first time this morning and I really like them. The store was great and really helpful. I definitely will be going back from now on!

Distance--4.46 rolling hills...no big ones today!
Time--41:53
Pace--9:23/mi

10k Results and Pictures

Here is a recap of our day! I woke up at about 5:15am to eat a little(2 pieces of whole wheat toast and a cup of green tea) and get ready for my first race. We left the house at about 6:30 to arrive at the race destination at 7:30 for an 8am start. When we left the house it was thundering and lightning and raining very hard! Then about half way there it started to just drizzle and clear a little, so we thought it might turn out okay. We were VERY wrong. Oh, the craziness. Life is usually very calm for us...but this week we have had water damage to our playroom(have to replace the floors), a tire blowout on the way to the zoo, and a 10k in a storm.

I ran my first race in a full fledged thunderstorm...with lightning and everything. I even jumped a couple of times during the run...the thunder was so loud. Thankfully I had sprayed my jacket with water repellant earlier in the week...like that was really going to help?! Nothing was going to keep me from getting completely drenched. I went through water puddles that were probably six inches or more deep at times...splashing and trudging along. I'm so glad I wore my old Asics and not my new shoes. A few times I was running along with someone and we were laughing at how ridiculous this was...while trying to avoid and dodge huge lakes of water as we turned corners and hit low areas of road. Such funny memories!

I felt pretty warm running even though it was pretty cool out. The actual cold hit when we were waiting for the results in the field house...Abigail and I were soaked and our bodies were cooling off from the run...the shivers hit. We were freezing!!! I did have a dry sweatshirt to put on, which helped so much! That warm bath felt so good after getting home! It has NEVER felt so good!

But, I must say it was really fun and I enjoyed being in a race. The whole time I was running I was thanking God for the ability to run in this race...and also asking Him to protect me from the lightning. I faced some real fears today and God was so kind to help me through them!

Here is my official race time from the timing chip on my shoe.

Distance--6.2 miles
Time--57:33
Pace--9:17/mi

I placed 7th in my age group and was 2 seconds behind 6th place. All in all, I did well, met my goal of it being under an hour, and ran pretty hard for me. I was very happy with my time especially considering the weather.

Abigail's 5k time:

Distance--3.1 miles
Time--30:11
Pace--9:45

She placed 6th in her age group! I was very proud of her.

These pictures are after the race...my red shirt is literally dripping wet and I am shivering...they are not the greatest pictures. Evie and Jack Henry were signed up for the tadpole trot and it was canceled due to the weather...they still received a ribbon, which I thought was nice.

Some Recent Purchases