I HATE RUNNING

The journey of 26.2 miles begins with 1.51 miles.

Yes, it's true.  I HATE RUNNING!  So, why in the heck am I planning on running a marathon next year?  Here's the beginning of the story...

On Saturday, May 28, 2011 I was out walking with my three-year-old son.  I prayed as we walked, as I normally do.  While I was praying I heard the LORD say, "You're stronger than you know."  I was pondering that statement and kept envisioning myself running in a race.  As I continued to ponder myself running in a race I began to weep.  I could see myself crossing the finish line, and I've never wanted anything more.  I understood that this race I envisioned was not symbolic.  The Lord was calling me to run a marathon as He wants to "unlock a strength in me that will surprise many."

As a kid, I was the fat girl who was always picked last for teams.  I wasn't interested in sports, but I played softball while in grades 4-6.  My father wondered why I even wanted to play softball, and then he realized...I was doing it for him.  He was right.  My father was a baseball fan, and I believed that if I played softball it would help me connect with him (I always felt like I was the biggest disappointment in his life because I wasn't a boy).  It didn't work very well because I wasn't that good, and I felt his embarrassment.  Sadly, he passed away when I was twelve years old, and I never had the father/daughter relationship I longed for.

The years passed, and I grew up to be a rather insecure woman, obese (at one point tipping the scale at 240 lbs.), sedentary, and very depressed.  There was a turning point.  By God's grace I fought back against the forces that were holding me down and holding me back from being the woman God intended me to be.  I went through counseling, grew more in my faith, lost about 50 lbs., and met my Dear Hubby, who introduced me to weight lifting and biking, which I grew to love.  However, achieving my ideal of healthy fitness alluded me.

Over the past ten years, we've endured the loss of my mother and both of my husband's parents, and we celebrated the birth of our children.  All good excuses for letting myself go. 

With the birth of my daughter I went through significant baby blues that lasted throughout the first year of her life.  I firmly believe that this bout of depression was due to sleep deprivation and lack of exercise and good nutrition.  One day, my husband couldn't stand it anymore and he said, "Go join a gym, and start exercising again.  You'll feel better."  So, I joined a gym and hired a personal trainer.

That was three months ago.  I am stronger and happier than I've felt in a long time, and with the vision of myself crossing the finish line, and hearing God say, "You're stronger than you know" I have the motivation to push forward. 

My trainer said the best thing for me to do is to simply start running.  So, I bought a pair of running shoes, downloaded the RunKeeper app on my iPhone, and I set out to run, and on June 1, 2011 I ran a whole mile non-stop for the first time in my life!