no excuses...

I've thought many different times about what I'd say to all of you for my absence, but then I just didn't really have a good excuse. You should know that my running hasn't progressed really, and it's because I haven't pushed myself. Yes, the weather is extremely hot here in Charlotte, but that isn't a great excuse, I could discipline myself enough to wake up early in the morning and run, or I could continue running at night. Honestly, I have a really hard time waking up to run. I can't seem to get motivated to run before the sun comes up unless it's a race day. Maybe it's a running rut. I don't know. I have a race July 16th. It's a 4 miler with my dear friend Africa. I think it's going to be awesome... but I need to get off the couch to make sure I can complete the race!!

What do you guys do when life gets really busy, the days get really hot, and you lose a bit of motivation to continue running?

And eating. whew. I am not sure I should get started on that subject. My food choices have been less than desirable and I am thinking that is another contributer to my running rut. Ugh. I just wish it were easy. and that I didn't really have to work at it each day. or that I could just really want celery sticks and carrot juice all the time. now, please hear me for a second. I think there is definitely a balance issue here. Balancing what's good for you while allowing yourself to enjoy something that you like that isn't necessarily healthy every once in a while. I'm not very good at the balancing thing. I've been praying a lot about that lately. Jesus, please let me live a balanced life. I'm all or nothing. And I must admit, it's a daily struggle. But I really believe that I am capable of walking this out and pushing thru and each day I will prove to myself that I can do this.

Side note that is still some what connected:

My great friend gave me a ring for my birthday that says "You Are Brave." I think it's a super fabulous ring. If you know me at all, you know that I am not much of a jewelry wearer. The only "jewelry" i wear is my nose ring, and I am sure the term jewelry is debatable. Anyway. I LOVE this ring. It's not something that I would normally wear, but the more I wear it the more I just think... this is so me!!! I can't wait to show it to you! I am not sure what the material is that has the words on it, but maybe it's polymers clay, and the letters were pressed into it and then water colored a shade of green. It's perfect. As I was wearing it today, I kept thinking about the word brave. Then I decided to look up the definition to gain a better understanding...

Brave: 1. People who are ready to face and endure danger or pain

2. A young man who shows courage or a fighting spirit

I like that. I like it a lot. I will choose to walk in that. I am brave. I am ready to face the pain that comes with running and I am a fighter with great courage! This process is difficult, but it's so worth it! So so worth it! I can't lose sight of that!