Running

Ok, I am putting it out there for everyone to read and keep me accountable. I am going to train for a half marathon. Chris and I have picked a 12 week running plan and we are going to do this! Lucky for us Monday is a rest day :)

But seriously, we want to get healthy. We want to lose weight. We want to run and do this together. I want to accomplish something. I feel like I need to accomplish something. Most people would say I already have with college, and a job, and working on my Master's but I just want something more. I want to have something else to be proud of, I guess.

I'm actually really nervous. Especially about putting it out there for everyone to see and know. If I don't do it I will feel really bad. But I know I can do this. It's baby steps. It's a schedule each day. It's a list I can check off each day! (I love a good list and organization!) The schedule I found is a 12 week one, as opposed to other 10 and 8 week ones I found. I think a longer schedule is good for me because I haven't run a lot of distance in a while. I don't want to rush this either. There is no specific deadline or goal yet. Just to finish mainly. There's is a race in New Orleans at the end of October. I think we are planning on repeating week 1 for two or three weeks to build a little stamina and muscle and then we will be on our way to completing this!

It is very exciting: the possibility of doing something like this. I know I can do this. I picked up running about a year ago when my friend Nathan found out he had leukemia. He had been training for triathlons and just completed his first one when he got sick. When I ran back then I would always think of Nathan. I thought if he can go though all of that (sickness, treatment, traveling to Dallas, rehab, surgery, etc...), then I CAN do this!

I was reading on-line today about running. Running shoes, running schedules, foods for runners, running tips, etc. One running tip was to have a running mantra. Sounds cheesy, but it has a good purpose. When you're down, whether with running or in life, you need to have that one phrase, that one pick-me-up-line you can say over and over to yourself that just gives you the boost you need.

Mantra 1: If Nathan can do that, I can do this!

And thinking of Nathan and his race made me think of Mantra #2:

"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 anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now He's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God."- Hebrews 12:1-2 (The Message)

Tomorrow is a 2 mile run. Here goes nothin...