33:30

Yup, that's how long it took me to run my first EVER 5K!  I'm pretty darn proud of that time!  The race was definitely a blessing from God.  First of all, I ran with three great encouragers.  Steve and Joanne helped to set the pace, while Sharon and I ran fairly easily several steps behind. Second, the weather couldn't have been more perfect.  The sun was shining, but the air was dry and cool.  Every now and then we'd get a bit of a breeze.  Third, my left shin and heel did not hurt.  At. all.  For the whole race!  Fourth, my family was waiting at the finish line with hugs and kisses.  What better reward is there?  Last, but certainly not least, I achieved all the goals I had set for myself.  That was the victory.

The only picture of this whole adventure is one I just took of my number.  I know, I know, I should have gotten a group photo or something, but my mind was totally on the race, not on getting a photo for this blog!  (Sorry Lisa T.!)

Sometimes, I get a little melancholy after reaching a goal I have been working towards.  I have that feeling of "now what?!"  Well, I am going to keep on keeping on.  This is by no means the finish line.  It's really the beginning of a new life!  One where I'm living life abundantly!  Therefore, my continuing goals are to honor God in all that I do for it is Him that I am serving.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24

I'm looking forward to the next adventure...

Run, Forrest, Run

So, I've been running.  I once said, "I will NEVER run!"  Hmmm, I should really learn not to say the word "never"!

Well, you may wonder, what have I learned through disciplining myself to run?  First, I re-learned that I am a goal oriented person.  I started the "couch to 5K" program which gets you ready to run 5K, or 3.1 miles, in 9 weeks.  When I first started the program, I signed up for my first ever race!  My goal is to be able to run the entire route without walking, and not to be the last to cross the finish line!  I'll keep you posted on how the race shakes down, it's happening September 6th.  I won't be doing it alone, there will be three other friends running as well.  There's safety in numbers, right?  Anyhow, to get back to the goal oriented part, I realized that without that race goal, I would have quit running when it got hard.  Instead, I knew I had to keep running and pushing myself or I wouldn't be finishing that race!

In realizing that I like to work towards a goal, I have taken that aspect and applied it to homeschooling and life at home.  I'm working on a set of goals for each girl for the year.  That way we know what we are working towards.  Makes perfect sense, right?  Why didn't I think of it before?  I am also working on setting goals for myself in terms of what I'd like to accomplish through the year.  I very easily get side-tracked and distracted, somewhat like a certain daughter of mine, so I'm hoping to help keep myself on track a bit better.

Another thing I've learned is that I still don't like running :)  But, I do like the energy and the strength I have.  SO, I'll keep running for the exercise, perhaps I'll bump the mileage down to 2 miles, 3-4 times a week.  I really want to enjoy exercise so that it will become part of what I do/how I live, and less of an activity I want to check off my list.  I also want exercise to be something we enjoy as a family.  This fall, one of my goals is to take two family hikes.  Once the weather cools a bit, hiking will be very fun and rewarding.

Why am I'm working so hard to exercise and eat healthfully?
To have the strength and stamina to serve God where He wants me.
To be a positive role model for my daughters.
To be one of THOSE people who "lost xx pounds ten years ago and have kept it off"!  And to be an encouragement to others who are where I was 11 months ago.

I'm looking forward to celebrating, on 10/10/10, the one year anniversary of my journey to a healthier life!  I would love to hear YOUR story if you are willing to share.