Well, here I am, half way through week one of my marathon training. This will be the last post that I will alert people to on FB because honestly, it might get a little tedious, especially if you’re not a runner. I mean, even I can’t make “ran 4 miles M, W, F and ran 8 miles Saturday” have a great deal of “sparkle shine”. So if you’re really interested in going on this journey with me you can either subscribe or I think you can ask to be notified by email when I post an update. Or I can just talk to myself. When I was little my mother used to say I “played well together” so I’m good with that.:)

I’ve been having a lot of mental doubts this week and although I realize they are not based in fact, they feel very true. Both of my shorter runs this week have been difficult and I’m really questioning if this running thing is for me. I do this from time to time and have no doubt I’ll cycle back through to “wow, I love this!” but right now I’m looking at a very long road of training (15 1/2 more weeks to be exact) and I just don’t know if I have it in me. Time will tell.

I am seriously questioning running The Hottest Half in August. Because it just seems like a beating. But I’m already registered and maybe an odd, Scottsdale-type front will come through and low humidity will reign that day. In Dallas. In August. Yeah, I know. And maybe I’ll win Ms. Universe.

Per a friends suggestion (thanks, Johnna!) I picked up Marathoning for Mortals by John Bingham who is the author of my favorite quote “the miracle isn’t that I finished, it’s that I had the courage to start.” Johnna also has a great blog and you can find it here www.ourladyoftherun.com.

So I will keep putting one foot in front of the other (and even occasionally sing the song in my head like my friend, Deb, taught me!), I’ll keep going to my fellow runners for encouragement and support, and I’ll keep seeking God and reminding myself that my time spent running can be just as important spiritually (if not more so) as it is physically. I know I am a better mom, a better wife, a better pastor, and a better child of God when I run so I shall continue as long as my legs will allow me. And Maybe typing that was all the motivation I needed. Well, that and this picture to remind me that I ran a marathon once, dangit – and I can do it again!!

Happy running, Everyone!!

Jen