did anyone catch the license plate number of that truck???

Yesterday I ran 11 miles.  Today I feel like a Mack truck hit me and then backed back over me... ouch.  There are some good things about the run, including the fact that it is finished -- another long run on the books.  Also, I burned something like 1,850 calories, or something crazy like that -- I'll take it.  On the down side, my knees are not feeling well and my back is hurting like mad.

On a positive note, the past week has been really great in our fundraising efforts!  We've managed to push past the $1,000 mark, which is the amount that it takes for one clean, safe c-section in Haiti.  YAY!  We are currently at $1,210 -- BIG thanks to these additional donors:  Alisha Stewart, John McHoul, Geneva Girls Designs, LLC, Julie Lohr, Wendy Thomas, Wendy Sale, and of course Jim Baas.  Amazing!  Lisa and I are both so grateful for all of the support -- both prayerfully and financially.  Every time we get discouraged with the aches and pains or the tired legs, we think of the money we're raising for Heartline and it keeps us pushing forward.  Thank you for being a part of this endeavor with us.

Please continue to pray for physical strength for all of us who are doing the half marathon on May 6, as well as for Heartline and the needs that they see every day.

It's okay... you can open your eyes now

I'm over my pity party from the other day.  I apologize for letting my insecurities take over my blog for a few minutes.  Just to clear things up, I am going to continue training for May 6.  I will complete the half marathon for Haiti; whether I run, walk, or crawl -- I will finish.

Thank you for the prayers for my 10-miler; I did complete it.  What a trip!  Laura Bakker was able to complete a 10 mile run.  Crazy.  It took me a little longer than I thought that it would, due to some walking and some necessary stretching breaks.  But it's finished... praise God.

My knees were ever-so-grateful for the ice packs, and I honestly don't think that I've ever enjoyed a shower as much as I did after that run.  I'm sure that God probably got a chuckle from my gushing prayers of thanksgiving for modern conveniences like fresh running water from a shower head.  Maybe they helped to make up for the begging and pleading prayers that were going up during the actual run... He was probably about over those.

tired...

I'm in need of a "re-charge" or a wind of energy to blow through me.  Thinking about running is getting old, which is not good.  It's not good because I still have to not only think about it, but I have several weeks of running still ahead of me -- and I. am. tired. of. running.

My brain is sick of trying to figure out when to do this run or that run.  My knees are just about to the point of OVER IT.  AND, I get to run 10 miles on Friday -- ugh.  I think that the fear of what I've committed to do is starting to consume me, and I just want to have the whole thing over with.  I don't want to have to try to figure out when I have enough hours to do long runs (because I run slowly) or have to try to figure out how to politely tell my friends that I love and very much appreciate their encouragement and enthusiasm, but I really just want to run by myself, so that I can get through it however I have to.  I don't want to do any of this anymore.

Most likely I should not have even started a blog post today, considering my current frame of mind (and heart)... but I did.  And now you know.

this is NOT a runner's body...

Not that there was really any question, but every day I get new clarification that I, in fact, do NOT have a runner's body.  So many strange things are happening, and I'm crediting them to the complete shock and terror that my body must be going through.  I have bumps on my knees that were never there before, I have strange shredding (peeling) on the bottoms of my feet that has never happened before, and the sweating?  oh, the sweating; like, probably gallons... and these are just the things that are okay to share on a public forum!  UGH!  I honestly don't know how "runners" keep up with it all.

But there is good news... Heartline sent a report, and we've raised more money.  I would like to thank Terri & Jeff Stewart, Marie Griffin, and (again) Jim & Stephanie Baas for pushing our total up to $855.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  :)

With regard to running, this is a "step-down" week for me (that's runner lingo that I got from my actual runner friends). It just means I'm doing less miles; hopefully it'll give my body a chance to rest a little bit from building up in mileage each week, and I won't have any new mysterious bumps or skin conditions to contend with.  Although, in all honesty, I really have nothing to complain about -- compared to the baby born in the dirt, on the street in front of Heartline Ministries a while back.  I'll just keep running...

aaahhhhh... vacation

I've not been able to post for a while because we were on vacation -- in Florida -- and it was warm and beautiful.  The one thing about it that wasn't beautiful?  My runs while I was there.  Running in Florida didn't go as well as I had hoped for, but I managed to get it done.  Since my last post, I've done a day of 8 miles and yesterday I did 9 miles (along with my normal, shorter distance days).  As it turns out, 9 miles is a LONG FREAKING way to run.  And not exactly my idea of a good time... but I was ever-so-thankful to get it checked off of the schedule.  Another long run accomplished.  :)

I also received a report from Heartline Ministries, indicating that we have not received any more donations toward the half marathon... a little discouraging for me, but I'll recover.  It's difficult because I work in a church environment where we are encouraging everyone to help those who are less fortunate, to step outside of our comfort zones, to give of our resources; it all makes me hopeful to actually see that happen.  It's challenging for me when a couple of us from this church (non-runners, to be specific) set out to achieve such a lofty goal, and we don't see the support coming quite as quickly as we thought that it might.  I'm extremely hopeful that more people from our church will be financially supportive.  Please don't get me wrong; I am extremely grateful for the prayers and well-wishes.  But, since the point of this half marathon is to raise much-needed funds for Heartline Ministries, I'll continue to pray that if we have faith, the resources will come...