Running through the Pain (written June 8th, 2009)

As I was running today I had bad stomach cramps. Usually stomach cramps are the thing that will stop me from running to walk, but today I just kept thinking of the marathon and the last 6 miles. The last six miles was the hardest on my first marathon and I thought “I need to practice running through the pain.” During this pain, I thought of the phrase “focus on beauty, not pain” which God gave me while training for my first marathon. I began to look at the blue sky and think of what a beautiful day it was. Pain sometimes cripples us to the point where all we can do is take one step at a time. Sometimes we have to just stop in the pain and curl up and just let it hurt. Every step hurts and we wonder if the pain will ever end. If we will keep running and not give up, the pain will eventually subside and it’s then that God speaks. He doesn’t always work that way, but pain usually is so consuming that we have a hard time hearing His voice. It’s not always our inability to hear, but his wisdom to be silent.I don’t even remember when the pain subsided, I just remember getting to the last hill before I got home and realizing the pain was gone. This hill, until recently, has been the dreaded part of my run. I would look at the hill and think I can’t make it, and would overcome by saying “you’ve come too far to quit now.” Now when I get to the hill, I tell the hill “I’m conquering you today!!!” Don’t let the pain stop you, run through it. The strength built through running through the pain will give you the courage to conquer the hills, even the mountains in your life.

Pink Shoes

Amber here. Yesteray, June 1st was the official start date of the marathon training program Mel and I are using. Mel actually got a head start on it and did her running this weekend so she was able to rest, but that wasn't the case for me. I purchased a new pair of running shoes while I was down in Kansas and a new $9 pair of socks! New shoes is always a motivator to get out and run. :) So I laced up the shoes and hit the trails. The first part of my run, I calibrated my Nike Plus since I hadn't done that yet after buying a new sensor. It was a 40 minute run and it was brutal. I think I was dehydrated and my lips were so dry that they stuck together! There were times along the trail that I just wanted to stop and rest, but I knew that I couldn't. I pushed through and told myself that this is just the beginning and I refuse to take short cuts. Like Mel tells me, every step you take is preparing you for race day. With that in mind, I finished! Day one is complete!
Now to the pink shoes...Mel got a new pair of running shoes for her birthday, and they are pink! When I went to buy my new shoes, the pair I liked were pink as well! I was pretty happy with this, because as a runner, you can not be picky about what color the shoe is, you have to buy them depending on comfort. No more lime green or bright orange for awhile!