To run the race

Since I read Donald Miller's book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, you have all heard me yap on about my story. Wanting to find it, wondering what it is and waiting to figure it out.

I've come to the conclusion that even though my life is one big epic novel just waiting to happen, it's all the little stories - the things that happen every day - that make every day a gift. And it's how I use those stories to encourage and to relate to the people around me that make it effective.

My latest story is no exception.

The Running.

I have never been an athlete. I wasn't chosen last for games in school but I was definitely not the first one picked. I'm the girl who would much rather have been sitting under the tree with a book than doing any kind of physical activity.

Contributing to this is that, well, I'm not built like an athlete. I'm short and I've never been skinny. I took dance for years and when I quit, my grandma told me, "I hate you aren't doing that anymore. It was so nice to see a girl up there with muscular legs." Which I thought was an awesome compliment because no, I'm not someone that an assailant thinks they could snap in half like a twig.

So I read, I studied, watched too much TV, took the college PE classes that you are forced to take and generally muddled my way through any kind of physical activity during the years when my body was much more capable of handling it.

In my mind though, I've always wanted to run. There is something very romantic about the idea of hitting the open road and pounding the pavement. All the while breathing deeply and soaking in what God has done around me and made my body to do.

The problem was I couldn't even run to the mailbox much less anything for distance or endurance. Put me on a bike in spin class and I can rock that. I can do aerobic classes, I can do free weights but running seemed impossible. The repetition, the endless steps, the shortness of breath, the pain in my calves. Too much negative.

Six weeks ago I began the Couch to 5K program. With my sweet friend Robyn as my coach, encourager and timekeeper, I started what I thought was my impossible dream. (Cue the Man of La Mancha music.) And of course I started during summer in Alabama. Not smart. I could swim these things faster than I could run them the humidity is so bad.

It has been HARD. We meet three mornings a week at a nearby trail at 6 AM. I'm fairly certain I didn't know that 6 AM still existed. But now I find myself waking up before the clock goes off.

The week we moved up to five-minute running intervals I really thought I was going to die. And this week, today actually, I was supposed to run a solid 20 minutes when to this point, I haven't run longer than 8 minutes at a time.

Robyn was optimistic which is good in a coach. I was more realistic. After our five minute warm-up walk, we started.

And 20 minutes later, I finished. I can't believe I did it. I ran 20 minutes this morning without a break. This is HUGE!

Now I'm not fast nor is it pretty. I don't look like those girls on the Nike commercials that glow with the warmth of exercise. I'm drenched from the exertion and the humidity, counting my breaths to keep from passing out and my face usually matches a tomato.

But at least I don't look like the guy who runs with no shirt on and his very orange spray tan. He flaps his arms like a chicken. But I digress.

I'm running. I'm actually doing it. I have three more weeks to go and by the end of that I should be able to complete a 5K.

I'm running not just because I've always wanted to do it. I'm running because I want to be healthy. I'm running because I want to show other people that things you thought were impossible are just conflicts in your mind. I'm running to show my sweet little nephews that their Riri loves them enough to take care of herself.

And most importantly I'm running to honor the work that God has done in my life. He made me and knit me together in this perfect way that I am. It is my responsibility to honor Him and run the race that is set before me. And for me that is literal.

I'm running to be the best version of me that I can because that's what God wants. And it's what I want.

Imagine though - now that I'm in the process of hurdling my impossible dream, what other impossible things can I overcome?

I've never been more excited to see what story is next!

PS - If you're looking for your story, Donald Miller is holding a conference in September that would be an amazing opportunity to figure it out.