Running

I like to think I'm a "jack of all trades". Not because I think I'm good at everything, that would just make me a snob, it's because I don't really excel at any one thing. The truth is, I'm just mediocre at lots of things, cooking, singing, writing, etc. I much prefer the way "jack of all trades" sounds over "mediocre". Don't you?

Running happens to be one of those things that falls in the mediocre category. Believe me, if I could be great at running I would definitely strive for that, but it's just not in my genes. At the moment, I'm working on increasing my speed thanks to a good friend who has agreed to help me train (she just so happens to be an Olympic caliber runner). I've never really done speed work, and so far I'm loving it. It's fun to run and feel myself getting faster. I'm not in denial however. I fully realize that I'll eventually reach my max speed and still never come close to winning any sort of race. When I first began running 7 years ago, it seemed everyone could run faster than me...and nothing bothered me more. So my pride kicked in and I refused to even attempt to run fast. Instead, I focused on long distances. By golly, if I couldn't go fast, I was going to go long! Yes, you can say I'm somewhat competitive. Thankfully, my whole outlook on running has since changed. I run because I love it and because it is now part of my life style. I still get competitive, yes, but not to the point that it dictates how I feel about running.

I've been called crazy for running at the hours that I run. I tend to prefer mornings, and since David has to be at work by 7:00, I have to be done with my run and home by 6:45. I really don't mind though. It can get a little harder to drag myself out of bed during the winter, but for the most part, even when I have the option to run later in the day, I'll still get up and run early.

It's not just about going out and burning calories or building muscle. As cliche as it might sound, it's about the whole experience. Over the years I've been able to developed some amazing friendships with different running partners. I've been amazed at God's creation as I watched the sun rise on those early morning runs. I've ran while crying tears of joy and tears of frustration. I've felt the adrenaline rush of starting a race and the sense of accomplishment from crossing the finish line. I've spent an entire run praying for certain friends, and then receiving news that those prayers were answered. I've even experienced what it's like to run with a baby growing in my stomach, and going out during early stages of labor (some experiences are more pleasant than others). I've also become a pro at peeing in secluded bushes because no bathrooms are around during long runs. Ha! Running is a stress reliever for me, and a chance to have some "me" time before I spend the rest of the day taking care of my two sweet kiddos.

It's true that there's somewhat of a sub culture in running. We "runners" can get carried away talking (sometimes bragging) about our times, distances, or current injuries, but it can be more than that. I definitely love the challenge of training for races and having to exert myself physically, but take all of that away, and it's still my favorite way to spend my mornings.
And being able to eat a few extra calories a day isn't too bad either :)

Crooked Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree this year has some issues. We got it last week right before going out to dinner for date night. We had a lot going on that evening, but I was adamant about getting the tree that night too. We were in a hurry so I'm not exaggerating when I say we picked it out in less than 5 minutes. We saw it, it looked good, we bought it.
Unfortunately it didn't look so good once we put it up. We bought a crooked tree!
David tried various things to get it look straight, but it just wasn't going to happen. So we left it as is. Besides the one flaw of looking like it's going to fall over any second, it really is a beautiful tree. Even more so with lights and ornaments.

This Christmas tree says a lot about me these days. For as long as I can remember, I've been a perfectionist. Just a few years ago, I never would have left a crooked tree up in my living room. I would have taken it down with tears of frustration, or I would have left it up, but made sure everyone who saw it knew that I had tried everything in my power to make it look right. Somehow I felt it reflected badly on me if things weren't just right. Remember how I wrote about ripping out the entire page in my journal because of one mistake? Well, that was my approach to almost everything....perfect or not at all. I tell you what, living like that is exhausting!
I still make some rash decisions and occasionally throw in the towel when things aren't perfect, but I know for a fact I've mellowed out some over the years. Our Christmas tree is proof of that.