This week was a rough one. I had to run alone and early, so my days got moved all around.  I got sick on Thursday. I pushed through Friday and Saturday but didn’t get my 4th run – a 10k in on Sunday. I opted to rest. I did get the long run – the 10 miler in…but it wasn’t pretty.  Here is how this week looked:

Tuesday:  5 x 1000m: I felt pretty good on this one…I had to run alone this week.  I don’t mind running alone at all but running early when it is eery dark outside…is hard at times.  Today, I was welcomed by a Hamilton County Sheriff sitting in the parking lot where I ran.  He/she was there for more than half of the time I was out running.  I felt safe. 🙂 God provided.  This was also one of the mornings of the meteor shower.  I was able to see a couple of beautiful falling stars.  I would have missed God’s splendor if I had stayed in bed.  For those of you that know me, know, the only way I would see a meteor shower would be in the morning…I turn into a pumpkin between 9:00 -9:30 p.m. 😉

1 – 4:30

2 – 4:35

3 – 4:39

4 – 4:27

5 – 4:33

Friday: 4 – 1 mile repeats: not feeling well…but pushed through – not very consistent here.  I started feeling sick on Thursday. Welcome back to school! Being around our precious children come with many germs…and I got them. I started feeling poorly after telling my students all week that one of the benefits of being physically active and healthy is a healthier immune system…that helps you fight off sickness.  So much for that working this going around! 😉 LOL!

I was able to get the first one out okay…but after that I progressively got slower. I know it was my lack of energy.  I still kept them under 8 but I definitely want to be more consist with each repeat.

1 – 7:06

2 – 7:19

3 – 7:33

4 – 7:46

Saturday: 10 miler at 85% – The 1st 5 miles I was able to keep pace and then the wheels fell off. I haven’t had a run feel this bad in a very long time. I finished but I walked a lot the second half.  I hurt all over.  I got mad…I cried…I just felt miserable.  I really hoped my friends would get in their car and come get me.  We ran 5 miles out so I had to make it back. There were times I felt like I truly wasn’t going to make it.  God provided several songs that gave me hope and momentum to finish. Strong Enough  by Matthew West – through HIM I was strong enough to keep putting one foot in front of the other and finish.  You Deliver Me  by Selah – He truly delivered me on this run.  His perfect timing with these songs and others kept me going.  The last mile I was cooling down.  With a quarter-mile to go my sweet friend Gina met me and ran me in.  When I saw her my emotions let go.  I was feeling cruddy…my body hurt and I had been unable to accomplish my goal pace.  She wrapped me up in a hug and said you have been working your tail off and it is okay to have a bad run.  She reminded me I had finished and got it done.   God nudged her to meet me because I so needed it.  Thanks sweet friend!

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

First 1.5 (I reset watch to do mile repeats after the first 1.5 miles) – 8:27

2 – 8:30

3 – 8:31

4 – 8:34

5 – 8:44

6 – 9:31

7 – 10:25

8 – 9:43

9 – 10:35

10 -10:29 – saved by an angel.

When I got done, all of my running buddies were waiting(because they had already finished…;)).  We are so blessed to have an awesome group of friends who love the Lord and one another.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one friend sharpens another.

After our 10 miler we had one more run.  No, I shouldn’t have done it let alone run the 10 miles.  But, we are a team and we were running the Mud Run as the Nutty Muddy Buddies.  We are a bunch of nuts for sure.  So, off we went to conquer mud, ice and obstacles.  We had a great time and my day of running was redeemed.  We ran as a non-competitive team and did really well for just having fun. We were 6th out of 198 teams.  We would have been 26th out of 87 competitive teams if we had competed.  We were thrilled considering all of us had run 7+ miles before the 3.1 Mud Run.

The Mud Run helped me put it all in perspective.  We are going to have good days and bad. They come together….like the ups and downs of the obstacles in the mud run.  After the ice pit, I was frozen and didn’t want to go on…but my team was waiting on me and I had to move….even though my toes were numb.  Scaling the walls were impossible without help…we had to lift each other up!

In the smoke house obstacle, we could not see.  The voices of our teammates guiding and directing us to the light and the exit gave us the strength to move forward.  We affirmed each other and trusted one another through it all.  As I heard their voices, I knew they weren’t going to lead me astray.  It reminded me of when I call out to God.  He is my strength.  I so needed this on this day! I brought up the rear most of the run…but that was okay.  They were all leading me through and we were in it together.

We finished as one team.  We were able to have FUN and do well – together.  We are all training for Chicago individually…but we are in it as a team.  We celebrate each other’s victories and we help each other with our defeats.  I know good days come with bad. I am so blessed to have others who stand by my side through the thick and thin…no matter how dirty it may get. 😉

Hoping for more good this week.

This week was a week for me to stop in my tracks and reevaluate where I am.  I am on the right track…I just have to learn to slow down every now and then. 🙂

Jeremiah 2.25a

“Slow down. Take a deep breath. What’s the hurry? Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway?