I know....when did this happen? When did I go from being the girl that dreaded the mile in gym class (literally for the whole year) to a woman who finds it being one of the high points of my day? I started to really run in college and that was as an escape. Living with a roommate and on a floor of 40 women makes anyone need time when they can get away and let off some steam. My sister talked me into running the Indy Mini-Marathon my Senior year of college...and I finished with the time of 2:03. Looking back I realize how much more in shape I was then I even knew.
Now here I am, out of college, married, the mother of two children (one of them being only 2 months old) and I find myself gearing up for another Mini-Marathon. This time I am training-since I just had a baby the body was not in the shape it should be for running a bit over 13 miles. And training now has become a lovely thing. I love to climb into my running clothes, grab my ipod and head out the front door. I either run around town or go to our Sports Club and nail the treadmill. ( I had never run on a treadmill in my life until a month ago...wild huh?) I find that running clears my head, clears the negative emotion I have build up from the day and puts me in a mood that I love. There is something so real about running. You are not relying on anything mechanical to spur you forward-the only thing you are relying upon is your own body. Every step you take your body is responsible for....you lift up and down your weight every stride you make. I love that.
Now I should clarify. I am not some amazing, beautiful to watch run kinda girl. I have never been trained "in running correctly" and I get neon red when I run. I sweat through my clothes, I get chaffing, my knees have to be iced-I am not a poster child for the activity. But sometimes I cannot hold in my smile when running. God must love when we run, because my heart is so drawn to Him when I do. Perhaps it is because I think of all the verses in the Bible that use running analogies....and I love how much greater of an impact those verses make on me now that I run. I love that God has made our bodies able to train and improve over time. Literally the first time I went running after my second babe I could run maybe a mile. Now I have run 10 miles....just from being persistent in my running. How amazing that are bodies were created to respond like that....I LOVE IT!!!! I love that I experience such strong emotion when I run. I often tear up on my runs-almost always at the end-because my heart is exploding with joy, contentment, or longing.
Those are some of the reasons I love running. Tell me why you love something you do.......I want to hear!!
6 comments:
I admire you so much Abs. Your passion and love for the ordinary things in life is SO UPLIFTING! God is so good to have put you in my life, to stretch me to be more thankful and to find joy in the things He does. I am so thankful that you spur me on to think more Christlike in my everyday things. I feel pretty numb lately and honestly can't say there is something that sticks out to me right now that I love doing. It hurts to admit that but it's true. I've let too many things get me down and not enough bring me up. Anyway, I love you and am so thankful for this post.
Of course I am right with you. When did i start LIKE running? I used to try and recruit people to walk the mile in protest!!! Maybe this love blossomed when we stopped caring so much about what other people think. As a teenager, I wouldn't want to be caught dead running. And now,its not my preference to be caught in the act. But if I am, oh well!
We'll see if my love for running continues when i enter into motherhood one day. I hope so...you inspire me!
You make running sound so delightful...I wish I could get to that stage! I went running a month ago and ended up vomiting on the side of the road (and I did not have a baby 2 months ago!)...maybe someday!
Oh Abby, you inspire me. I hate running. Hate it. I'm up to running two miles at a time, but almost the whole time I am asking myself why I am torturing myself and I feel like I want to throw up. Anyway, perhaps I will pretend I'm you today when I go to the gym and just love it. I'll let you know how it goes.
abby I echo you complete with the emotion of running & the sense of satisfaction I feel, knowing that it is just me and the road.
Another thing that I really love is making mornings my own, waking up early just so I have some time before the day to make myself breakfast and sit for a few minutes before jumping into the day. I have really come to love treating myself to a special breakfast and pretty napkins (something my friend Christina taught me) because life is lived in the details. thanks for sharing!
So I tried pretending to be you. It didn't work. I still hate running.
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