Don't Rain on Me!

So have you ever noticed that whenever you get really excited about something, that there is always someone to "rain on your party"? No, they aren't negative, they are realist! For instance, when I first actually told someone I was going to train for a marathon I heard, "Why on earth for? That much running isn't good for your body!" My mother also reminded me with five children I shouldn't have time to go run if I was doing everything "a good mother" should be doing.....hm... what was she insinuating? Well, wanting to lose excess fat is something someone with less than 10 pounds to lose "shouldn't be worried about!" People tell me I don't need to, or you will get vain if you get work out, or best yet...you will be too skinny!

This morning's run reminded not to pay any attention to the threat of rain. The forecast predicted rain, and when I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of wind and rain....I thought, "Oh! Man! I don't want to get out in that!" But in the morning the sun was shining on the east side of my house. Clouds were on the west...If I got out there right away, maybe I could beat the rain. Well, by the time I hit the road it was a beautiful sunny morning and the clouds had blown away. Wow! I would have missed it if I had thought only about the clouds coming! Sometimes we need to forge ahead even though doom is foretasted by well meaning friends and family. Stick to your goals and don't get discouraged if you don't have the perfect day. Look for the sunshine and you will be sure to find some!

Dr. Oz and Just 10

Dr.Oz has been the hot TV health guru for the past few years. He has gained nationwide popularity and is now considered by many as "America's Doctor" as coined by Oprah Winfrey. While I have never personally watched either of them much, I could not avoid reading or hearing about either of them over the years. I admired Dr. Oz's great blend of natural, Eastern and Western approaches to health and medicine. So when I heard of his Just 10 campaign to lose weight, I looked it up on his website. It was great! I immediately asked my girlfriends to join me. I was so happy when they did. I didn't really need to loose too much and striving for 10lbs. would be just right to motivate me back in to a better quality of life and a better quality of body. I took the RealAge Test and found out it was 43.6 years old, making me 8.6 years younger than my chronological age. Not bad...but I would like to see if I can improve that score. Why wait until the until I am another year older? "There is never any better time than the present" and putting it off is what got me extra weight to carry with me running to begin with. So here we go again...a new day, a new beginning and I better get out and get running!

Rain

Rain can be fun to run in...Usually I don't like to get out in it but once I do,I love it...providing the wind isn't too bad. Once I ran the LA marathon in the pouring rain and the wind was blowing hard on top of it. You would think it would be a totally miserable marathon...and at times it was NOT FUN!...BUT there was something very inspiring about seeing all those people stay committed to their goals and refuse to quit because of the weather. I remember one guy yelling defiantly as we turned a corner into the pelting rain and wind...”Oh! Yeah! Bring it ON!” When he did that those of us running around him laughed, bent our heads into the rain and wind and determined to finish...you could almost feel the determination push you forward from everyone following responding the same way. It occurred to me that everyone deciding to finish together, made it easier for us as individuals to keep persevering. Likewise, we as Christians need to do that for each other...inspire and encourage each other to push forward, meet our trials head on and keep running towards our heavenly goal. For "Behold, we count them happy which endure." James 5:12

Getting "Back in the Saddle!"

After not running for two weeks due to a temperamental old gymnastic knee injury, the thought of "getting back in the saddle" to run was a bit intimidating. It is funny that after ten years I can still wonder if I can run! But was really amazing to me was how much my stress affected me when I couldn't run. My body ached more, I felt more sluggish and tired and my emotions were harder to manage. I guess I have been taking these benefits for granted as with most people who enjoy good health. It isn't until we stop doing what is healthy, stop taking our supplements, stop eating healthily we realize how much benefit we enjoy everyday by doing these things. And by the way, when I did finally get out and run...it felt great and my energy was good all day long...so glad to be "back in the saddle!"