Painless=Progress!!

I am crazy when it comes to self-diagnosis! Although I am usually right on spot about it, I can get obsessive to an annoying state trying to figure out this pain or that ;D. So in my normal way of attempting to self diagnose my recent back/hip pain I concluded that it was related to about three weeks of poor running habits, not running my long runs consistently, and then trying to jump right into a 8 week half-marathon training schedule. All of the above combined is why I think anytime I ran over 4 miles I was experiencing serious pain. So this week I have set a goal to only run 2-3 miles, but to do it everyday instead of my recent hit and miss schedule. So last night (its not worth driving to the river in the morning for just a couple of miles) I ran 2 miles of hills and I have no pain today!!!! This is indeed progress although small. My friend that I was helping in the morning to get back into running has had some medical issues arise and will not be meeting me in the morning for a little while, so this allowed me to move my running schedule to the evening while I work this problem out. I still woke up at 5:15 this morning on my own, but I thoroughly enjoyed that extra hour sleep. So I am happy today with my 2 small miles of hills and hoping after tonight's run to continue to be pain free. Don't you just love how running so often mirrors life in the sense that we must keep moving forward even though at times our path can be uncertain or we become weary with what seems at times very little progress...we must continue to press on, to move forward, to not be side-lined by the difficulty of the race, by discouragement, or whatever our trials are. Our theology and what we really believe about God is lived out in each and every step of this race. I pray for you today as I do myself that we can press on toward the goal...press on past that part of the race that has already been run...press on with our eye upon that which we have been called.

Run today that you may win!

Running a Race I Cannot Register For...

Well, I return to my running blog after a five week break and not with the reports I thought I would have. As some of you know who are also friends with me on Face book we ended up cancelling our Disney trip due to the unexpected diagnosis of cancer in my husbands father. His dad was diagnosed with a serious high grade parotid gland cancer that has spread throughout his body. The Disney vacation was to be a family trip which included them. Although we could have taken the trip without them, it would have been hard to detached from the current circumstances. Cancelling our trip also allowed my husband more time and opportunity to minister to his mom and dad without the looming pressures of a big trip. Having to cancel the trip was extremely disappointing for the kids but they have had an experience of seeing faith and trust in an always good God personified in ways that will stay with them long after the thrill of such worldly amusements are gone. As of right now our trip has been postponed until April 2010 but we will see as time goes on. My husbands father is currently receiving chemo and will start radiation treatments in the next week or two. His treatments will continue until the end of February next year. This cancer is not curable but the doctors are optimistic that they can slow down the growth while still giving him a quality of life however long that is. As for the number of day well that is in the Lords hands and written in the book. Until then we are living life with a greater appreciation and a deeper faith in the good providence and dealings of our Great God. My husband set up a caringbridge site here if you are interested in reading the details. Be warned my husband is one for details...comes from his finance background=)

Okay on to running. My running has been pretty hit and miss these past few weeks due to two reasons. First issue that happened was I was asked by an old friend who just moved back here(actually my old running partner) if I would help her get back in shape and meet her in the morning for some runs. This messed up my mileage a bit because she was only able to run a few minutes and then had to stop and walk. My running turned more into walking with her. I wanted to do this for her because I care about her and really it was a blessing for me to have the companionship in the mornings. Second reason is I have been dealing with a new hip/lower back pain. This pain is in my other hip and is totally different. I had started my half marathon training squeezing it into my morning runs, when I started having this pain anytime I ran up to 4 miles distance. Although I have run on the pain it has been very hard. The pain is mostly in my lower back and radiates into the hip and even the hamstring. It is by far the worst pain I have experienced in all my years of running. I have been taking large amounts of ibuprofen to help deal with the pain and help me sleep. Reducing my mileage and taking more rest days seems to help reduce the pain but this means I will not be able to train for the Tulsa Run or the Route 66 Half Marathon. It has been discouraging to say the least and I cannot figure out what is causing it other than some inconsistency in my running the weeks preceding. Which it very well could be something that simple. If there is anytime I NEED to be able to run it is now, yet the Lord has seen fit to make this another thing in my life that I cannot control. I am a creature of habit and the past two plus months have been nothing but things, people, circumstances, taking over my life...would I have planned to return to blogging this way? absolutely not, but I would not change a thing right now because I know that to be in the center of His will no matter how challenging that is to me personally is really the most blessed place. I have this one life, this one opportunity to respond to this time in a way that will please Him. There will be other races but there may not be another time I can grow in my faith and trust and learn to glorify Him like this time. So where does that leave me?..right now, I don't know even what tomorrow will bring...if I will wake up and be able to run or if I will get a call from a needy friend or if someone dear to me will receive difficult news...what I do know is that I have a Loving Father that deals with me in very personal and intimate ways and will help me to do and live in a way that brings Him the most honor even if this was not what I had on the schedule for the day or the week or the month...
I do look forward to being back blogging and communication with you all and especially reading about how you are growing in your training and faith as we all run this race whatever path we are given. So for now I am running a race I cannot register for but it's the best race of my life...It's good to be back!