Four in 30, I'm a Solid 8

92 days until the Army Ten Miler.  Not a huge deal for a lot of people I know.  Running isn't all that new to them.  For me, it's been a dream.  I joke with Richard, and tell him I can remember sitting in Grandma's brown suede Camel Back chair (Alabama football in the background), flipping through the latest Neiman Marcus catalog, pausing at the Ralph Lauren advertisements and thinking, "one day I'm going to live in a house with lush green grass in the countryside and go for morning runs and come home, read, drink coffee and wear preppy clothes like that.":)  SO SILLY.  But nonetheless, I've always dreamed of running ... really running ... I just never really had the opportunity.  I'm not sure that NOW I have the opportunity.  Psyching myself up to run in this humidity and up and down too many hills to count ... that is something in and of itself, but coming back into a house full of little girls with a million things on their mind and plans for the day and lessons to learn ... that's another.

It has also been a dream of mine to run the ATM with Richard.  With it being such a popular race, and selling out in just 36 hours this year ... we may never get another chance.  (the registration rules are going to be changed next year)  But now Richard is injured and really I don't think he should run up and down all these crazy hills on pavement.  It's too much for his body at this point and not worth permanent injury.  My heart really sunk when he told me he went to the doctor, was told to take a couple of weeks off and then to hear him say he was actually going to do it.
I knew it was serious then.
That is not like my Infantryman.

I had just about given up on running this race.  Training NOW for that distance in this heat alone ... just seems impossible.  But then I remembered my running hat.  I have a couple of things written on it.  When I first started running, I would write something every now and then to help motivate me to run ... to remind me of why I ran.

I thought of all the injured soldiers at Walter Reed, and those that have left and are back with their families and those who will never be with their families again.

And so this morning, I ran.  I went on our less hilly 5 mile route.  I couldn't make the last mile ... well, I might have been able to, but I didn't want to risk it.  I was happy I made it 4 out of 5 for today.  When I got back to the car, I checked my time.  30 minutes.  That made me smile.  I did it, and I did it with my usual pace.  I am a solid 8 min mile runner ... with or without Richard ... early, late, long runs, short runs, even runs in thick humidity.

Thank you Lord for my health.
Thank you for my life.
Thank you for my run.
Thank you for my steady pace.


I don't know what tomorrow will bring.
I don't know if I'll actually make the run in October.
But for this morning I was encouraged.

Thank you Lord for your blessings which overflow.
Truly, 
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:13