Thankful to run.
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With exception to a slight mention to share my favorite tunes, exercise isn’t something I talk about here, especially when I know that what I consider a workout is a simple warm-up for others. But today I will talk about exercise. Shocker, I know.
Since last October I’ve been training to run a 5K, using the Couch-to-5K program. I’ve stretched out the 9 week program quite a bit, repeating some weeks, getting derailed with others due to sickness, and other unexpected interruptions, but on the whole, I’ve kept going, slowly, but going, nonetheless.
So this week is the week, the week I run the race. The plan has been for me to gradually build up distance and peak with the full 5K/3.1 miles at race time. One of two last runs before the big 5K race was set for two nights ago, on Monday. I was for planning for a 30 minute run, which, at my slow pace, has been about 2.65 miles.
Monday was a long day. Let me repeat that, Monday was a loooooong day. I was pooped. Randy found me laying across the bed, just resting, before changing into running clothes. I was merely resting my eyes, but woke myself up snoring a few minutes later. I wasn’t planning on running. I was planning on putting on my pajamas at 6:30 pm and calling it day. Then Randy started in with his “here’s where the rubber meets the road” speech. Ugh.
Thirty minutes later I was dressed for the rubber to meet the road, minus the good attitude, kinda sleep walking through the motions of moving in the direction to exercise. I really had no idea how I would run for any length of time, much less the 30 minutes. When we made it to our local high school track to run, Randy said he was going to try to slow down and run 3 miles. I told him my goal was the 30 minutes. Yeah, right. Pajamas were calling my name.
I took off, leaving Randy at the car adjusting his ipod to begin my warmup lap so I could get this thing over with. Randy caught up with me and we soon began a slow jog. It would be the first time he ran slow enough to be close by. I figured I’d finish before him and be waiting at the car for him to complete his goal.
Ever have those moments where you wonder how you got there? I seem to be having those moments more often the older I get. Moments ago I was just thinking about putting my pajamas on and here I am running in the dark. What the heck?
Anyway, about into the second lap I decided that I may shoot for 3 miles too. I’d gauge how I was doing around the 30 minute mark and see. I worked through lap after lap after lap.
When I began lap 11, I started to tell myself “I can do it. I can do this. Two more laps, that’s all. I can do this.” Then it hit me, out of the blue the verse, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” popped in my head. I wasn’t doing this myself. I couldn’t do this in my own strength. No way.
I think I’d forgotten that somewhere along the way.
So about halfway through lap 11, I began a long prayer of thanks for all kinds of things, a lap of thanks if you will…
thank You for a healthy body that enables me to run
thank You for my husband, for encouraging me to get out the door tonight
thank You for comfortable shoes
thank You for music, even this stupid JT song that keeps me moving
thank You for my friend Robyn who first mentioned running a 5K
thank You for all my friends who continue to ask about my progress
thank You for cushy socks
thank You for a safe place to run
thank You for our car that we can drive home instead of having to run or walk even further
thank You for the people who invented good socks
thank You for the people who invented the loom for weaving said socks
thank You for the Thorlo outlet in Statesville, NC where we can buy great socks at discount prices
thank You for my legs
thank You for my knee caps
thank You for my feet
thank You for ABBA, particularly Dancing Queen as it helps me through this next lap, lap 12
thank You for cushy socks
thank You for this track to run on, that’s flat and safe with no worries about getting hit by a car or tripping in a pot hole
thank You for lights so we can run at night
thank You for the people who invented the lights
thank You for those who climbed up there and changed the light bulbs
thank You for clothes that breathe
thank You for ipods
thank You for earbuds
thank You for my ears
thank You for the night sky, deep blue and a good distraction
thank You for my children, a reason to run
thank You for apps that help me keep the proper pace
thank You for chewing gum
thank You for my rocking shoes
thank You for those socks again, they are comfy
thank You for helping me finish lap 12
thank You for helping me begin lap 13…lap 13, wha?!?
thank You for Michael Bublé singing me through this last lap
thank You for a healthy body
thank You for giving me all that You have even when i don’t deserve it
thank You again for my husband who got me out the door tonight to do something i never thought i would
thank You for these dang good socks
thank You for the air we breathe
thank You for hotdogs that i can eat when i get home
thank You for water
thank You for asphalt
thank You for those geniuses that know how to make fantastical socks
thank You for helping me finish, finish 3.25 miles – more than a 5K. more.
Unbelievably thankful.
Thankful to run.
xoxoxoxo
LOVE IT! So happy for you that you got out and did it and were thankful for it, too! Got to get me some Thorlo socks!
Thank you for my sister who sent me this blog entry and for the fact that you used the word fantastical, because then I knew for sure God had sent you to me this morning.
I’m sitting here at my computer in my running pants and fabulous running socks. I even have my ball cap on. I was thinking about skipping it today because it’s cold and it’s been a ridiculous week at Tuesday. But now I’m going to go put on my amazing running bra that I’m very thankful for and for the people who designed it, and I’m going to go out for my thirty minutes. I owe it to myself.
Thank you for you, your honesty, and for reminding me to just do it.
All the best! Kelley
YAY Kelley!
Glad I’m not alone in those moments. I just finished myself. Put it off all day and then made myself do it. I always feel so good after. You’d think I’d be running first thing in the morning instead of putting it off.
And nice to meet ya too!
Amy
Amy, I just stumbled on to this post and it totally talked to me! I’ve been training the couch to 5K since sometime around late December, my first race is this coming Sunday and I must admit I’m a little nervous. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, it’s nice to hear what helps other people keep going when your brain is screaming at you to give it up and go find your comfy pj’s…and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.
It is amazing how easy our challenges become once we give ourselves some perspective. I think gratitude is the best way to gain perspective. We all have so much to be thankful for and reminding ourselves of that has the power to bring us great happiness and strength. I am so happy you were able to find the perspective and strength to finish that 13th lap!
I found your blog through Bridget at Bake at 350. This post touched me because I’m currently training for my first 5K race that will take place in a week and a half. I still have a hard time believing that. I’m not the athletic type by a long shot. In fact being in my p.j.’s on the couch is a form of exercise, right? lol! Your post has me motivated and I will be reciting that verse from Philippians, too. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your story!
I love you. I love this. I LOVE this. You have no idea how much I needed to read this. Thank you so much for putting that verse in there… I am just sitting here crying and being thankful for YOU. 🙂
Amy~
Of course I had to pop over from Bridget’s post on running.
I’m so proud of you girls.
I had no idea there was a RED FACED RUNNERS club!
I just popped off the treadmill with a red face after finishing up day 2 of Couch25K!
Inspired by all of you girls!
I had goosebumps reading this post.
I so GET how running can lead to a thankful prayer.
I’ve prayed many a prayer of gratitude while working my body.
Thanks for inspiring.
I think you girls are fabulous!
xoxoxo
I just came across your post from Bake at 350. I totally love your words. I’ve been running for 6 months on and off, but only running 1 mile. That is all I can do, at least that is what I tell myself. I hate running, I always have. I used to say that if someone was chasing me then I’m not even bothering to run cos they are only going to catch me anyway and I’ll be out of breath when they do! Over the months I have got better and when I first began I would walk more than run. My goal was to run the entire 1 mile and when I finally did I really couldn’t believe it. My time got better and I learnt how to push a little more to the end. I haven’t done it now for the last week few weeks and keep telling myself “today, just get up and run” and I don’t. I find if I don’t run in the morning then I’ll never do it. Of course that means getting up and running before the children get up and for some reason my bed just won’t let me get out! We have been thinking about getting an iPod and my husband tells me I could use if for running. I ask what for? So you can listen to music. I never thought of that, do other people run listening to music? I run listening to the birds or the sound of cars and wonder why I live in Florida, cos it’s way too hot and can I out run mosquitos? I think tomorrow morning I will apply “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” and get out of bed early enough to spend time with Him “early in the morning I will rise and seek thee” “keep the morning watch” and then, RUN A MILE!!! I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks so much for your post and well done!!!! What a great achievement.