Dear Readers,

Angelo is right. I do owe you an update from Thanksgiving. It has been a busy few days. Phil came into town Wednesday evening, we hosted Thanksgiving and, well, Phil is still here. That means constant party and no sleep...and no time for internet.

Regardless, let me get to the point. I ROCKED the Turkey Trot! As I stated in an earlier post, I certainly did not win the race. The first runner was returning as I was still in the first mile, but that doesn't matter. I finished. It took me approximately 45 minutes. It's hard to say exactly how long it took because Tanya and I didn't get there until 7:30 (when the race was starting). We had to get our numbers and we probably started about 10-15 minutes late. The clock at the finish line read 53 minutes when I passed it.

I'm quite proud of myself because I haven't given up on running now that the TT is over. I ran 2.5 miles this morning and plan to keep at it. I've been informed there is another race the week of Christmas, so I may sign up for it.

Thank you all for encouraging me and walking with me as I change my personal habits and strive toward better living. I appreciate each of you and am especially glad to know that some of you have been encouraged to be healthier just by reading my blog. I hope that will continue! Thanks again!

Sincerely,

Leanne
#1295

Happy Thanksgiving!

These past couple of days have been pretty busy. I've been moving furniture around, getting rid of a desk to make room for tomorrow, cooking, cleaning (well, I'm about to do that), as well as training for the Turkey Trot tomorrow morning. It's been a really great week and I'm highly excited that this is the beginning of the Holiday Season. I love the Holidays. I love that this is the first time we've felt settled enough to really make the Holidays our own. I can't wait to have family and friends at our house tomorrow for dinner. I look forward to spending tomorrow evening with our friends.

I've been training for almost a month now to be able to run this race tomorrow, but now that I've completed a 3.7 mile jaunt on my own, the excitement of that 3.1 miles isn't as great as I'd expected it to be! Regardless, I'm looking forward to saying that I've officially run my first 5K.

Well, as I said, it's been a busy few days, and that's not changed in the last 10 minutes. I still have a lot to get done and not enough time to do it in. Oh, and my phone is ringing.

Gotta go! Happy Thanksgiving!

A different kind of training

A very short yet productive weekend is coming to a close.

Christopher and I had the challenge of taking care of two toddler girls this weekend. Bella's friend, Ellie spent the whole weekend with us so that her parents could enjoy a weekend away. They were like two peas in a pod.

This was Bella's first sleepover, and I think she enjoyed it. She got some practice sharing her Mommy with another little one, and she and Ellie enjoyed playing, giggling and watching movies (lots of movies) together. It was so fun that 45 minutes after I put them down for naps, I finally had to put them in separate rooms so they would actually go to sleep. Keith and Liana came to pick Ellie up around 7 and they were thoughtful enough to bring Christopher and I a bottle of wine complete with two wine glasses from one of the vineyards they visited. They also brought Bella back a purple tutu. Thank you, Dicksons!

Not only did I get some training in having multiple children this weekend, but I spent the majority of my free time researching and writing 3 articles for Wisegeek. This is (hopefully) the first step in a process of becoming one of their editors. Once they review the three articles I submitted today, they'll let me know if I fit their style or not. I've got my fingers crossed. Some of you know that deep down, I dream of becoming a writer. Honestly, I'm a little scared of that dream because, I don't know if you realize this, but it's a pretty easy dream to fail miserably at.


So we'll see what happens.

I didn't do any running today. You all know how Sunday mornings go. Christopher left before 6 this morning, and I wasn't getting up in the 5 o'clock hour two days in a row. I was hoping to get done with all my articles by 9 so I would still have some time to run around the block, but I didn't finish until almost 11. I'm okay with it. My sense of accomplishment from my writing totally rivals what I've been feeling after a run.

I hope you feel as satisfied with your weekend as I feel about mine. If not, well, there's always next week!

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

This old adage from that Great Sage, the Tortoise is, in my estimation, categorically false. Let's look for a moment at what the experts have to say about the length of time a 5K should take.

Kilometer Chart

Kilometers	Miles	Fast	Moderate	Easy
1	0.62	7 min.	10 min.	12.5 min.
2	1.24	14 min.	20 min.	25 min.
3	1.86	21 min.	30 min.	37.5 min.
4	2.48	28 min.	40 min.	50 min.
5	3.11	35 min.	50 min.	62.5 min.
6	3.73	42 min.	60 min.	75 min.
7	4.35	49 min.	70 min.	87.5 min.
8	4.97	56 min.	80 min.	100 min.

The list goes on up to marathon lengths, but since I'm not there yet, I didn't see the point in pasting all of it in this post. Take the link if you're interested.

If you look at the 5K, you will see that it is a 3.11 mile jaunt that should take 50 minutes if you are walking at a moderate pace. After i got home this morning, I took the car's odometer out for a spin to see how far I went (I've extended my course to Downey, Florence, Woodruff and Firestone). That particular route is 3.7 miles. This 3.7 miles took me approximately 60 minutes to run this morning.

Now, understand that I'm not complaining that it took me the same amount of time to complete this at a run as it would take someone who was walking at a moderate pace. However, I am using this fact to illustrate my profound disagreance with the title of my post. I don't care who you are; you are not going to win a 3.11 mile 5K by running at a walker's pace. It's not going to happen. I'm happy to be able to complete it at my own pace of running. For me, it's an accomplishment and I'm proud of it. But I'm not going to win. No way. No how. Unless no one else shows up but a fat man with a short-legged poodle.


FYI, there was a different photo of the tortoise and the hare that I wanted to post, but thought it might be inappropriate. So if you are easily offended, don't take this link.

Thoughts on a cool morning

So here's the break down for this morning:

10 minute walk (I had to let myself start slow...I was not very motivated)
15 minute jog
5 minute walk
15 minute jog
5 minute walk
15 minute jog (minus 1 or 2 minutes lost to stop lights)
Cooled down with a 5 minute walk around the block
Stretches, crunches, push-ups

And now here I sit with my glass of cranberry juice and my blog, sharing a few minutes of my morning with you, my loyal reader.

I feel like I'm having to start over almost daily. I'm really struggling with the way I handle food. This, in turn, has serious impact on my running, as well as the way I feel about myself. On the one hand, I'm proud of myself for getting up early and training my body to do what I want it to do. But on the other hand, there's are feelings of shame and disappointment for the things that I put into my body while I'm alone. I've been trying to figure out why I am (still) a closet eater, and the best I can come up with is that it's a bad habit left over from when I was a kid. I was alone a lot (especially at night since that's when my mom worked), and I remember that most nights I would lay in my mom's bed watching TV with either a bag of chips, a plate of cookies or a bowl of ice cream (or all three) to keep me company. Food was my friend, my companion, the thing that was always there for me. So now, as an adult, I find myself looking to food as a release from a bad day or as a way to celebrate a good day or simply as a way to not feel alone. This is highly disappointing and I wish it were not a part of who I am. But it is.

So for now, all I can do is continually give myself grace. I know that God gives me grace upon grace to cover my bad behavior, so who am I to withhold that grace from myself? It is not my job to judge myself (just like I'm not to judge others), so I will live everyday to the best of my ability. I will keep training and running and I will try to learn how to fill my heart and life with joys and comforts that are not edible.

Speaking of joys and comforts, my sweet daughter has just been woken up by her Daddy and is waiting for some breakfast. She is standing next to me saying, "Nummy, nummy." I guess that means I should bring this entry to a close and go about my Mommy-duties.

I do hope that this encourages some of you. I know our struggles may not be the same, but I think we all have areas in which we are less than our best, and it is to those areas that I speak today.

"Learn to limit yourself; to content yourself with some definite work; dare to be what you are and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not; and to believe in your own individuality."
-Henri Frederic Amiel (Swiss writer)

Bedtime update

This is for those of you who've been eagerly awaiting my daily update.

I didn't run today. I woke up an hour late again, but I wasn't planning to run anyway. I was supposed to be doing my "spiritual training" this morning (more about that some other time), but not much of that happened either. I woke up with an awful sinus headache and that general grossness you feel when your body is fighting off the sickness your child is trying to give to you.

I'm feeling a little tired right now (after all, it is after 11pm), so I think I'm going to go to bed and pray that my body feels better in the morning and that I actually wake up on time tomorrow.

Sorry if this isn't as "inspirational" as some of my other posts. I'm not feeling all that inspiring right now. Here is a quote I ran across that you may or may not agree with...I won't say which category I fall under...but it might be food for thought. Feel free to let me know what you think about this sentiment.

Everything is created twice -- first mentally, then physically. --Greg Anderson

Something extra...

Just because I love them too.

One week left until my carb-o-licious dinner

A week from tonight, in addition to picking up my husband's best friend at the airport, I will be ingesting a "big plate of pasta" in preparation for my 5K the next morning. I'm looking forward to that. But that's not what I'm here to talk about right now.

This morning, I woke up late, but still went for a run. It was 40 (ish) minutes long and I ran for most of it. Actually, the run:walk ratio went something like this:

20 minute run (with a 1.5 minute stop at a red light)
5 minute walk
15 minute run, with 2 1-minute walks interspersed

I felt amazing after I ran this morning. That is, until I went to lunch. My mom, Bella and I went to Mambo Grill since we couldn't find any parking at Mimi's. This was quite disappointing because I knew exactly what I was going to order at Mimi's. This was not the case at Mambo. After perusing the menu for about 5 minutes, I decided to ask what was on the new sandwich they were offering.

Oh, what's that you say, David (the owner)? Slow-roasted pork, ham and swiss cheese on sweet bread? Sounds great! I'll take it!

It also came with fries. What the heck was I thinking?

I had very good intentions of only eating a few fries and taking half of the sandwich home with me. But I didn't. I ate all of it. And wanted to puke about 15 minutes after I left the restaurant. So that great feeling I had from running was completely overshadowed by the incredible amount of meat ingested by my body this afternoon. I'm still feeling the ickiness of it all.

I once heard that when God created our bodies, He did not design them to ingest meat. We were not meant to be meat-eaters. This argument was evidenced by the way our teeth are designed (dull, not sharp) as well as the length of time it takes our bodies to break down animal meat, among other arguments that I can't really remember right now.

When I eat a substantial amount of meat, I'm always reminded of this by the way my body feels. I'm lethargic. I'm heavy. I feel gross and it is at times like these when I wish I could will myself to throw up. But I can't. And I'm not going to try now. I have enough bad habits.

I guess I'll just wallow in my meat-coma and wait for a new day.

Oh, and by the way, this in no way means that I am becoming a vegetarian.

Shout Out

I was just checking my weekly Sitemeter Report, and one of my most recent visits was tracked to the United Kingdom. To you, my lone UK reader, I want to give a shout out. I love your country (no matter which one it is...they're all beautiful), and I'm honored that you stopped by to see me. :o) Come back anytime.

To the rest of my readers, I appreciate you, too. I'm just amazed that my "writing" is being read by someone on an entirely different continent. I love the internet. Sometimes.

One last note

I just got out of the shower, but I have to share with someone the beauty that is Aromafloria Muscle Soak Body Wash. It is very rare that I find a product that actually delivers on its promises, but this stuff is freaking A-mazing. I just looked up the entire line of the Muscle Soak Aromatherapy and I want it all. Like yesterday. My body has been so sore from running, especially my back and my knees; but the peppermint, lemongrass and eucalyptus oils really help sooth my joints and muscles. I can't imagine how great the massage oil would be. Christopher, if you're reading this, I would like this for Christmas, please.

Okay, I'll stop with my free advertising.

Day....what day is it again? I lost count.

I did it. I finally got my new running shoes. My friend, Johnny, a fellow Revolution X volunteer, happens to work at Runner's High on 2nd Street. When he found out I was looking for shoes for the 5K, he told me to come in and he'd help me out.

I finally got to the store tonight around 6pm, and there he was, ready to help me find some shoes for my big old feet (in addition to helping babysit my 20 month old who was like a kid in a candy store with all those beautiful shoes and socks). He had me try on a few different pairs (all men's, but we won't talk about that) and run up and down 2nd street to see which ones felt better. First he had me try Adidas, then Nike, but as soon as I felt the soft cushioning of the Brooks Defyance envelop my right foot, I knew that these were the running shoes I'd been waiting for. The ones sent straight down from heaven specifically for me. All my prayers had been answered. My dreams had come true. And, my dear readers, those heaven-sent shoes are the same ones pictured above. Aren't the beautiful?

And not only are they beautiful; they are effective. I came home, put Bella to bed, adorned my new purchase, and proceded to jog for 52 minutes straight. None of this run-walk business. I jogged for almost a solid hour!!! I am stupified by the difference a new pair of shoes has already made in my training. Wow.

So whatever day it is in my training, things are going well. I know that I have 10 days left until the Turkey Trot, and then I think I'll be taking some of my friends up on their offers to run a half marathon. I'm not going to put some huge amount of pressure on myself. I just want something to work toward so I don't quit. I can't believe how far I've come already.

Next step, jogging stroller.

A fellow blogger's story

Some of you know that I struggle with some food addiction here and there (and everywhere). It's not something I talk about too seriously because I don't feel like many people can understand it. I'm probably wrong about that, but I will digress from this point for now. My own insecurity and shame is not the topic of this post.

I started following Lyn's blog about a month ago, and I have deeply appreciated her honesty about a struggle that I've been fighting for so many years. Yesterday, she posted a part of her story. She describes honestly and rawly the circumstances surrounding her own addictions. I hope you can read it and appreciate it just as I have.

Lyn's story

Day 11

It's Saturday again, and as such, I set out to run as far as my body would comfortably take me. Even though I was running at an excruciatingly slow pace, I am proud of my 25-minute jaunt. That's right, I ran the first 25 minutes, then walked 5, ran 8 and walked another 6 or so. I would have run more at the tail end, but my back was bothering me. This is, no doubt, because I desperately need new shoes. I've begun researching good running shoes, but have not committed yet. I need to find a good pair for wide feet. If you've got any suggestions, let me know!

In light of the way my back was feeling this morning, here is your quote for the day:

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever."

-Lance Armstrong, American Cyclist

Day 9

A couple things have changed today. First, I'm taking the word "Training" out of my running posts. Since I've changed the title of my blog to "In Training", I think it goes without saying that it is a training day. And even if it doesn't, that's tough because it's my blog and I'll do what I want.

Secondly, I started the next step in training. According to my trainer, I was to begin the 15 minute runs today (run 15, walk 15 for an hour), but I decided since it was my first day back after an injury, and I still have two weeks until the run, and since I already know that, at my best, I can run for at least 10 minutes at a time, that I would start with 10 minutes (run 10, walk 10 for an hour).

And I did it. I actually didn't feel like I was working as hard as I was last week. I assume that's because instead of 2-minute breaks between runs, I had 10-minute breaks. It was kinda nice. My knees weren't too keen on the whole thing, but they made it and I'm proud of them, even though they might have felt like they were carrying the load of an elephant!



I'm off to the shower then to meet a friend at the mall. Here's your quote for the day! Take it to heart; it's a good one!

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act but a habit."
-Aristotle (Philosopher, Scientist and Physician, 384-322 BC)

Training Day 8

It's 6:22 AM, and no, I haven't already gone for my morning jaunt. I'm actually going to skip this morning, let my ankle take a break, and if it's feeling okay tonight, then I'll run. If not, I'll just take a walk.

You know how when you've hurt a joint and then you rest it for 8 hours, it usually feels pretty good when you get up? Then it slowly deteriorates throughout the day? Well, I want to avoid pushing it too hard this morning because it seems to be feeling mostly fine. The last thing I need is to make my already unconditioned body worse so that I'm not able to continue training for this run. If all is well, I'll start my next step in the training process tomorrow morning instead of today. I believe it's run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes for a longer period of time. I'll call Cheryl today and find out.

Any tips or pointers?

Oh, and I know I skipped my quote of the day yesterday because I was a little too bitter to even want to read something encouraging or uplifting. But, in light of my ankle, here is a quote for today:

"Of one thing I am certain; the body is not the measure of healing-peace is the measure."
-George Melton

Training Day 7-A Tale in 6 Pictures

Here I sit for my morning update, Starbucks in hand and a bag of frozen grapes on my ankle. Any guesses about how my morning has gone thus far?






First, I get out of bed (6:18am) feeling much like the whale in this picture. I decide that it can't be as bad as I think, so I should get on the

to prove to myself that all is well with the world. Wrong decision. According to the scale, all is not well with the world, and I continue to feel like the whale in the top picture.

Then the decision is made that I should not run, but walk my normal course due to the not-so-great feeling in my left hamstring. Turns out no amount of stretching after the fact can make up for the lack of stretching prior to running. So I get my water bottle and set out for my morning walk.

I make it halfway (the mid-point of 5th and Firestone) on Woodruff when I step into a...

I hear my left ankle crunch and I almost fall, but don't. I do, however, hobble myself into the mall parking lot wondering whether or not I should call my mother-in-law to pick me up before she heads to work. But then I notice the hobbling becoming less and then turning into a slight limp. No problem. I can walk this off. And since this day already sucks, and I'm in the neighborhood, and there's no power-walking for me in the near future, I decide that, quite frankly,

So I stop in to see my friendly neighborhood barista and order a frothy hot holiday beverage to nurse my broken spirit and injured ankle during my (slow) walk home.

I have since arrived at home, taken my shoes off and realized that "walking-it-off" might not have been the best idea. It was, at best, a feeble and inaccurate hope. My ankle is pretty tender. Once I realized there was some pain, I pulled

out of the freezer, propped my foot up on a chair and began this, my tale in 6 pictures.

I hope you've enjoyed what little bit of humor I've eeked out of my morning, because I'm not gonna lie...I'm a little

Training Day 6

I didn't run yesterday because it was Sunday and we left for church at 6:30 am. But I did run today. It was a pretty pitiful morning for me. I didn't get up until 8. Then I sat in front of the computer checking emails and messaging people until 9:30 when I was finally motivated enough to go for my mandatory run. Everyone was still sleeping after our late night at Disneyland, so I headed out the door at 9:43. I did 30 minutes. No more, no less. I made the mistake of not stretching beforehand and my left hamstring is bugging me a little bit. I'll do more stretches throughout the day.

Bella finally ate breakfast at 11. I don't think today will be a nap day. I'm going to do some cleaning while Bella keeps watching Sesame Street. Then maybe we'll go out to see G-ma Doris in Marina Del Ray.

In closing, I'd like to share some wisdom from one of my all-time favorite transcendentalists:

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense."
–– Ralph Waldo Emerson

In case you were wondering

My friend's fiance emailed me this survey, so I thought to myself, "Self, why not put this in your blog?" To which my self answered, "Why not? I'm not doing anything and could certainly use this to kill some time before bed."

So here you go, not that you asked..

HAVE YOU EVER... (x means 'yes')

( ) Been to Europe...nope, just the UK
(x) Been on a cruise
( ) Gone on a blind date
(x) Skipped school ... only in college
( ) Been to Canada
(x) Been to Mexico
(x) Been to Florida
(x) Been on a plane
(x) Been lost
(x) Been on the opposite side of the country
(x) Gone to Washington, DC
(x)Swam in the ocean
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
( ) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons
(x) Sang Karaoke
(x) Paid for a meal with coins only
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(x) Made prank phone calls
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) Danced in the rain
(x)Written a letter to Santa Claus
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe I think I did the kissing, though
(x) Watched the sunrise with someone That's what friends are for...sunrise on Bourbon Street!
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
(x) Gone to the movies
( ) Owned your Favorite Car Not yet...one day I'll get that Jetta.

NICKNAMES: Kick, Kicky, Leilani, Lela-Ann, Wifey
MOM'S NAME: Doris (not sure why only my mom's name matters)
FAVORITE DRINK: coffee
BODY PIERCINGS: Just ears. I used to have my tongue, but gave that one up. I miss it sometimes.
HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE YOUR JOB? I freaking love it. Except for the 1st grader. He's a little exasperating at times.
BIRTHPLACE: Baltimore, MD
HAWAII? Yes, please.
EVER BEEN TO AFRICA? Not yet. It wasn't the right time.
EVER EATEN ONLY COOKIES FOR DINNER? Duh. What normal female hasn't done this?
EVER BEEN ON TV? I feel like the answer is yes, but I can't remember why I would have been there...so no?
EVER STEAL A TRAFFIC SIGN? Not yet...only a shower curtain. Maybe the traffic sign will happen during the next pregnancy.
EVER BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT? Yes.
DRIVE A 2- OR 4-DOOR CAR? 4 door

FAVORITES:

NUMBER? One. It's the least complicated.
MOVIE? Mary Poppins can usually brighten my day, as well as Tyler Perry.
HOLIDAY? Thanksgiving/Christmas are tied right now.
DESERT? I wish I was picky enough to have a favorite.
DAY? Usually, Saturday or Monday.
BODY WASH? Currently, Aromafloria Muscle Soak
TOOTHPASTE? Mentadent, but I never use it.
SMELL? Fig scented candles


HOW DO YOU RELAX? Watch TV or sleep...or shop.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS? In a house full of kids
HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED SOMEONE DIE? Only when I was little, I remember my g-ma having hospice care in our playroom at her house.

Training Day 4

I woke up this morning questioning whether or not I would even run. After all, it is Saturday. Well, not only did I run, but I decided to see if this training thing is really working by starting off with running as far as my body wanted to go. Well, my body made it for about 10 minutes, from my place to Woodruff Ave (for those of you who happen to be familiar with the area). Then I completed my time with my normal walk-run routine. I shaved some time off of yesterday (I ran the same course), but I added to my running by about 3-4 minutes. Go me!

I know it's only grace and a good attitude that got me to this place this morning, but I hope that I can make these same choices day-by-day as the weeks wear on. Not only up until the Turkey Trot, but for the rest of my life.


"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins- not through strength but by perseverence."
-H. Jackson Brown

Training Day 3

“Life’s battles don't always go to the strongest or fastest man,
But sooner or later the man who wins is the fellow who thinks he can.”


I can do anything for 30 minutes. At least that's what I was telling myself while my alarm sang to me this morning at 6 a.m.

And guess what? I can. I did my 30 minute run-walk, and it got even easier than yesterday. I'm not saying it's a cake-walk yet, but it's definitely getting easier.

Although, I did have a false start. Two minutes into my first run, I had to stop in order to stretch. My left hamstring was unbearably tight. So I stopped at 6:22, after I'd run for a minute or two, then started all over again. That may not sound like a big deal, but that's an extra minute or two that I had to run!

I did a lot of stretching after my run today. It felt good. My back's a little tight. I'm sure that I would benefit from some yoga, but I've got to get a move on. I have to hit the showers before running errands and getting things prepped for my Mom's birthday dinner tonight. (Sorry Cheryl, I might have a piece of cake. The good news is that if I give myself permission now, I might have the willpower to choose 'no' later...it's a strange dichotomy, I know.) I will leave with the definition of the verb "to run". This way there is no question in your (or my) mind what it is I am doing on a daily basis.

run

verb, ran, run, run⋅ning, noun, adjective –verb (used without object)

1.	to go quickly by moving the legs more rapidly than at a walk and in such a manner that for an instant in each step all or both feet are off the ground.

Training Day 1

After my previous post about running the Turkey Trot, my friend, Cheryl Harrington, offered to train me. She decided last year to run the Long Beach 1/2 Marathon and spent 6 months training with Claudia Sloan (the Sloans are amazing runners). I watched her persevere and learn to love running. And now she's offered to help me learn to love it as well. Today was our first day. She left 25 minutes ago and I am just starting to feel the goodness of the run (those of you who've ran, know what I'm talking about). We spent a half hour pounding the pavement, running and walking alternately (run 4 minutes, walk 2). Poor Cheryl had to listen to me huffing and puffing the entire way.

Before she left, she reminded me of something I once knew, but have since forgotten. My body is the temple of God. I have to treat it that way. I am to respect it, honor it, discipline it and do whatever it takes to make sure it lasts me the entirety of my stay on earth. And I am not only to make sure that it lasts, but that it functions properly during my time here.

I fear I've fallen into the trap of being comfortable. I like my bed. I enjoy my TV shows. I spend endless hours on the internet checking email, reading blogs, etc., I like to go to coffee with friends, eat what tastes good whenever I want to eat it and be "happy" and "comfortable" as much as possible. Unfortunately, I've forgotten that in the world that God has created, discipline is the foundation for a good and productive life. Paul talks about disciplining himself and his body so that he can "run the race set before him". There are countless Proverbs regarding the merits of disciplining oneself and one's children. God's discipline is something that is to be desired. Yet we, as Americans, believe that the most important things are comfort, independence and individuality. Most of us don't value the discipline it takes to be successful inside ourselves. We value making money. We value work. We value entrepreneurship. We value the next big thing. But do we value the internal strength of character that comes from our own disciplining of our private lives? I dare say that most of us do not. And that's quite unfortunate.

My hope is that over the next few weeks, I will relearn some of these values God had taught me a while back. My hope is also that I will gain some balance. My hope is that I will be steady. My hope is that I will begin some habits over the next month that will stick with me for some time, maybe even the rest of my life.

In preparation for this blog, as well as my own personal encouragement, I looked up some quotes by runners, for runners. I hope that they will encourage you as they have me this morning.




"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired. When you were younger the mind could make you dance all night, and the body was never tired...You've always got to make the mind take over and keep going."
- George S. Patton, U.S. Army General and 1912 Olympian

"Believe in yourself, know yourself, deny yourself, and be humble."
- John Treacy's four principles of training prior to Los Angeles 84

"In a country where only men are encouraged, one must be one's own inspiration."
- Tegla Loroupe, Kenya, 1994 New York City Marathon champion

"The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong. You always go too far for your body. You must handle the pain with strategy...It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed."
- Jacqueline Gareau, 1980 Boston Marathon champ

"Run hard, be strong, think big!"
- Percy Cerutty

More positive outlooks

I was just going through my google reader and came across a blog from an acquaintance of mine. Read it and be encouraged. :o)

Welcome, Mr. President.

Tonight, the United States has a new President. When I went to vote today, I wanted to vote for this particular candidate, but I couldn't do it based on my own moral basis. That is what it is, and I won't go into it here.

The reason I DID want to vote for Obama today is that I want change and hope for something new. I, like many others, felt like McCain would have been more of the same, and more of the same is not anything I desire. Not only that, but the other day, I was thinking about McCain vs. Obama and the idea of voting character. I was wondering which candidate would listen to what God wants for him and for this country and I heard this voice in my head say, "What if Obama is the one with a humble heart? What if he's the one whom, if prayed for, would do the right thing? What if McCain is the one out for his own agenda and this is just his last hoorah as a politician?" And that's when I started to wonder.

You see, I don't believe that the "issues" are the only issues that count in an election. These men (and women) have hearts. And only God knows their hearts. Now, I'm not saying that I know what God knows. I don't. But, to all my friends who expect Jesus to return tomorrow or who are talking about moving to Canada ASAP, I challenge you to start praying earnestly for this new leader of our Country. Pray not out of fear, but out of love. Our God remains the same. Our Leader isn't different. The leader of the country is. Maybe we should remove ourselves from this patriotic faith of ours and see the political system of this country for what it is...the world's way of doing things. God works in any and all worldly systems...but his people have to pray. Maybe the problem with this country is that God's people were counting on W's "Christianity" to be enough to lead the country instead of humbling ourselves and asking God to lead the leaders.

Just a few thoughts on the close of this Election Day 2008. Sleep well, my friends. I know I will.

25 days...

...Until I am running a 5K. I have never (officially) run a 5K in my life. I have, in fact, run 3 miles at one time, but it was a long time ago. I weighed 25 lbs less, I was infinitely more toned and had lots of time to spend at the gym and running at the park.

Tanya called me last night to say she'd signed up for a 5K on Thanksgiving morning and do I want to do it with her. "Sure," I say. I'm happy to do it, although it's questionable as to whether or not I will run the entirety of it.

I got home today after lunch and sat down on the couch. I was waiting for Christopher to get off the computer so I could use the internet when it dawned on me that this 5K is going to happen. And it's happening in less than a month. Therefore, instead of sitting my chubby butt down in front of the computer, I should probably put on some sweats and tenni's and hit the pavement. So that's what I did. I donned aforementioned gear, walked out the door and around the corner, and I began to jog. I lasted for approximately 3 minutes until I started walking again. During my first 20 minutes out, I had a few more spurts of 1-2 minute runs, but gave it up completely in my last 20.
Somehow, in the next 25 days, I have to turn that initial 3 minute jaunt into 3 miles. Good Lord in Heaven, what was I thinking?

I am happily accepting any pointers or encouragement any of my loyal readers might have for me from now until Thanksgiving Day.