Run

Reasons I run and things I’ve learned while running/training

I will get up freakishly early for only four things: 1) a long run with my running buddy  2) race day  3) Army  4) to catch a flight

I love to run

I don’t like to stop running during a route but especially during a race

My phrases at stoplights are “Go!” and “We can make it!”

Cat-calls and car honks are juvenile.  Stop it.

Time to think and pray

Stress relief

Torch those calories

The wind is a friend bringing coolness or a pick-me-up from behind

Suck it up

New running shoes are spectacular

I need turns, none of this 40-mile straight-shot stuff

Easy 3

If the 20-miler goes well, I’m in for a hellava ride come race day

Crossing the finish line will never get old

Trust your training

Gu suddenly tastes amazing

Don’t skip the long run

A great running buddy is very rare; Thank God I found mine

If someone passes you looking like a gazelle, they are definitely on mile 2

Just finish

I need a sign above my head flashing how many miles I’ve already run

Eating fruit during a race is awesome

True friends run with you when you think you can’t go any farther

Hitting “the wall” is basically inevitable; I’ve only not hit it once

Long runs forge friendships

Hearing “I would run…” or “Run for me!” is funny yet sad

You can run a marathon; you have to decide if you want to put in the time and effort or you could pray to God that your athleticism doesn’t fail you

There are four types of fellow runners I pass by:  1) don’t bother me, I’m in the zone  2) don’t bother me, I hurtin’  3) don’t even bother, I’m not going to pay attention to you  4)  Oh, you said hello and I will say hello back

I run whenever -- sunshine, rain, snow, ice, storms, tornadoes

4-mile loops are great

Say “I ran ___ miles” not “I just ran ___ miles” because there’s a big difference to people

After 3 to 4 miles, I’m good to go

For the most part, run it out

Listen to your body

Smile, wave, and say hello to people when you pass by -- it sometimes confuses them

Rest is actually very important

Half marathons are more enjoyable

Casualties like losing a toenail, chafing, or blisters are things you’ve signing up for

Injuries are the bane of my existence

The wind, as resistance, kills

Engage your core

You can walk out your front door and go

Night runs

Sometimes it’s best to not look at your watch

Chocolate milk after a run is bliss

Idiots will throw things at you

You meet some cool people in races

You see some crazies on race day

You overhear funny stuff during races

Running with people comes and goes but my running buddy is a constant

It’s okay to stop

Do not do something out of the ordinary like Zumba on the week of the race

Hydrate

Thank the people who cheer on race days; you need them

Shanghai your friends into coming to cheer you on

My foam roller has become a new best friend

I spit a lot

I think it would be incredible to qualify for Boston

Smile and enjoy the scenery and good weather

I will laugh at you without guilt if you’re running outside at the hottest time of day

I seriously dislike treadmills

Cold/Cool weather is the best

Time to think

Me time

Being healthy

Breathe in with your nose and out with your mouth

My shirt becomes a giant snot rag; I am not ashamed

Do not touch me after a race or super long run; I am disgusting

Being active

Running before a storm is a fav

Good conversations

Memories

Running because others can’t; I am fortunate and grateful

Perseverance

Pooping before a race is a good sign

The finisher medals keep getting bigger

Not giving you a finishers shirt should be a crime

Diligence

Time-management

Being outside

Hearing people say, “Why are you running so fast?  No one is chasing you!” or the like is funny

The signs people make for races are quite humorous sometimes

Never do I ever want to hear “you’re almost done” or a phrase to that effect when I’m running a marathon of 26.2 miles and I’m on any mile but 26.1

You need support

Alimentos es muy importante

I need someone to talk with me to take my mind off what hurts

More people should cheer between miles 20 and 26

Each race and run is different

It is a passion to enjoy and cultivate and to share and encourage others in

I was told that you either love or hate marathons.  I love them.  I caught the bug a few years ago, and I don’t know when it will leave.  I built my way up to them, so I haven’t always run or run long distance and have completed 5 so far.  At the end of almost every one, I think that it’s possible the last.  They may become fewer and farther between until their non-existent, mainly due to the time it takes to train, but for now I’ll keep going.  Even if marathon running ends, I will not stop running for all the reasons and lessons learned listed above and more.  

Good Day, Mate!

How many times have you wished someone to "Have a good day!"?
How many times have you responded to "How was your day?" with a simple "Good." in reply?


Isn't there more?!?


How can you improve that well-wish or response?
How can each day be better?


Well, my friend, I think Woodrow Kroll says it best:  "My prayer for you is that you would have a good and Godly day, for of what lasting value is a good day if it's not also a Godly day?"

Bikes biKeS bikes BIkEs BIKES

So, I’ve gotta thing for bikes  :) 

From the training wheels to the jeweled and noisy spokes with streamers whipping my hands, I learned how to ride a bike as a little kid, like most do.  It wasn’t until college, though, for the love relationship to begin.  It was then that a friend introduced me to the pure joy of riding a bike.  The feelings of giddiness and delight, freedom and speed, and laughter and sheer joy continue to bloom to this day.

My friend convinced me to get a bike to ride around campus and to go on bike rides with him and others.  I was definitely skeptical at first.  How could something as seemingly simple as bike riding be as fun and enjoyable as he said?  I mean, there’s congestion on campus with everyone walking to and from classes and then there was the fact that campus was not bike-friendly (we had no bike lane, for example).   Nevertheless, one weekend I brought my oldest brother’s mountain bike to my dorm after a weekend at home.  Life was never the same.

I rode that bike in full force for years.  I rode with several friends over the years who also had the bike-riding bug.  They knew.  Like only fellow cyclists can know.  So, we went gallivanting around our college town during the day and even the night, of which “night rides” are still a favorite of mine. 

Surprisingly, the reasons why I thought riding a bike would be a bad idea became reasons to ride.  I still don’t like congestion anywhere I go, but I make a game out of it.  It’s like Frogger.  I’m on my bike trying to avoid all the pedestrians, curbs, and whatnot to make it to my destination.  It was a challenge to find the best bike routes on campus or the best times to ride (i.e. not much traffic), and I accepted it.  I like the feeling of slight invincibility while on my bike, going fast without a care while dodging people and cars alike. 

My alma mater eventually made a bike lane, which helped a little.  When it was new, people didn’t pay much attention to it.  Now, if you don’t, you’ll be run over.  Look over that shoulder.  Don’t stupidly walk in the bike lane.  Don’t meander into it while texting.  I’ve even heard a tour group warning incoming, uninformed students to look before crossing the narrow lane.  Words of wisdom, for I must confess that I can sometimes be a snooty biker.  I’m going fast and I like it.  If you get in my way, that’s your problem and there might be nasty consequences. 

Over the years, I’ve kept that mountain bike and have gained other bikes to go on joy rides or simply to get from point A to point B.  Some think it’s ridiculous to have as many bicycles as I do, but I think they’re a bit ridiculous.   Of course, there’s the sentimental reason to keep a bike or two that I have, but there are practical reasons, too.  I ride my mountain bike for when I’m feeling tough and want to jump curbs.  I ride my cruiser bike for when I want to slowly ride around looking at the scenery.  I ride my road bike for, duh, riding on the road and to get somewhere fast(er).  Three bikes helps to make a good life.  Plus, you never know when someone who doesn’t have a bike will want to ride.  I’ve gotcha covered.

Now, even though I’ve owned several bikes and ridden different ones in the past, I truly have only loved three bikes.  They are my mountain bike, my road bike, and my adopted bike.  The love for my mountain bike is obvious since it was my first to really ride on, but it also belonged to my oldest brother who died ten years ago.  My road bike is “my little red” and was my first roadster.  Lots of great memories, some vivid close calls, and two big scars all prove our bond.  The last bike is a love because I feel responsible for the owner getting it.  Quite frankly, I remember my “cutely excited” self saying, “You should get a road bike!!” so I think I was the friend that sparked the bike-loving life for them.  Maybe not, but I still took that road bike in as my own and bestowed on him the epic name of Plutonium Amadeus C… or PAC.     *the C stands for a last name and I don’t like to give names…

Like I said, I’ve had other bikes and lots of fun memories because of them.  For instance, I got a bike while in England and can still remember lugging groceries to and from the store and my mini house.  Another absolutely great bicycle time was with my brother in Paris, France, when we went on a bike tour of the city and had sweet names for our respective bikes.  In the same vein, I rode around on a bicycle in Amsterdam, which is a very bicycle-friendly city, while visiting a friend.  Finally, my most recent (and one of my most favorite) bike adventure was in New England riding around the beautiful Cape Cod trails.  Such good times.

I know bicycles will always be in my life.  They will carry people into my life and will definitely leave memories.  Although, even if I’m riding alone like today, I truly can’t help but smile as I feel the sun shining, the breeze blowing, my legs pumping, and my heart happy.

^ Best Decor Ever ^

^ Whilst touring New England ^

^ PAC when I wasn't asked to keep him (yes, those are icicles and he feels neglected) ^

^ My bike in England ^

^ My brother and me in Paris with "Big Bopper" and "Jasmine" ^

^ Amsterdam ^

^ College Bike Ride ^

    

Forgiveness is a Miracle

Forgiveness.  It’s liberating and necessary and difficult.  It’s a miracle.

So many emotions and thoughts run through my head and my heart and all at one time it seems!  Depending on the situation and/or the people involved, getting to the point of true forgiveness is a long, hard road filled with navigating or redirecting and processing.   

Working through a hard situation or dealing with a person who’s less than rainbows and butterflies all the time is going to happen.  How important the event or person is in my life (i.e. how important I’ve made them in my mind and in my life) indicates how much time and effort or, rather, how much of a drain on my emotions it will take to make things right or be at peace with the circumstances.  Honestly, I wish I could shake things off like a wet dog and be done with it in a split second, but that’s not going to happen.  It will take time, work, and a miracle.

Even if my emotions take a toll and who knows what all else, if I cling to God and truly forgive, I’ll come out stronger in the end.  Especially if I learn from what transpired and do not return to the same unhealthy pattern, relationship, place, etc.  I want to forgive and move on yet be wise and be proactive by setting healthy boundaries for the future.

Thank goodness for other people to help carry our burdens, to be wise counselors, and to be great sounding boards.  More so, thank goodness for God, for His Word renewing my mind, and for who He is repairing my heart.  I would not be able to forgive myself or others without Him. 

I sometimes write poems or little rhymes to get my thoughts out or to be cute.  Enjoy my latest and know that, ultimately, we need to be forgiven and we need to forgive others, and it comes from God.

Forgiveness

Misunderstanding

Mistreatment

Miserable

Conflict

Confusion

Confession

Good bye

Good riddance

Answers

Anguish

Anger

Hopeless

Helpless

Speechless

Heartsick

Heavy-hearted

Grasping to understand

Amidst the pain

The why

The good that can come

From the surface so terrible

Strong enough to confront

The sin inside

Darkness

That needs God’s bright light

Making the hard path visible

Forgiveness is the answer

Not blame or shame

Through God

To weather life’s storm

Keeping fragile lives livable

Forgiveness is a miracle