Twilight 5k

Friday, May 13th, was the Twilight 5k in Uptown Charlotte. This was my 2nd time running it and I just have to say it was so good! My time was 36:20, compared to 41 something from the year before and 21 seconds better than my 5k in March. We're making progress folks! I know I say this often, but it really is so fun to see how much you've progressed in just a year.

I don't really have any more races lined up for the rest of the summer, well, take that back... running one at the end of July in Asheville. The Bele Chere 5k. Should be fun and challenging... Asheville is much more mountainous than Charlotte. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other I suppose. That's all it takes to get to the finish line!

Here are some running quotes I've been loving lately:

"Every accomplishment begins with the decision to try."

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."

"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit."

where oh where

Has anyone seen my motivation because I sure can not find it. Well, I take that back, I saw a glimpse of it last night on my run, but that's the first I've seen of it for a couple weeks. What in the world? I think someone forgot to give me the memo that Charlotte had gone straight to summer, completely skipping spring. The air is so thick and muggy and gross and just ugh to the air. How do people train for runs when it's gross outside? I hate running on a treadmill, so I need some suggestions because I can't not run the WHOLE summer.

Anyway.

So I am working on locating my motivation. When I'm running I have to tell myself just keep putting one foot in front of the other Amanda. You can do it. You have come so far. I've had to have a lot of coaching moments in my head these days. This is when it really matters. really for anything in your life. Not just running. Pushing thru really matters when the task at hand becomes really hard or not fun or exciting anymore, but you know you have to do it because you have set a goal. made a promise to yourself. The more you challenge yourself, the more you grow. So, I will keep fighting for it. Keep going for it. Keep pushing because the payoff will be so worth it. I'm worth it.

Here's a quote I'm liking these days....

"Pain doesn't tell you when you ought to stop. Pain is the little voice in your head that tries to hold you back because it knows if you continue, you will change. Don't let it stop you from being who you can be. Exhaustion tells you when you ought to stop. You only reach your limit when you can go no further."

Fastest Mile Ever... for me.

Has anyone noticed anything about the weather the last couple days? I definitely didn't get the memo that Charlotte skipped spring and went right in to summer. Not really fun for running outside in, that's for sure. So to be honest I haven't felt very motivated to get out there and run. I love the feeling after a run, but getting started is H.A.R.D!

So anyway. Today I was excited when I got home and noticed I had a package at my door. For Easter and my birthday, my dad got me a Garmin FR60 running watch!! WOOHOO!! Well that thing is difficult to figure out, but I sat on the couch did just enough to be able to go for a run. And now, I LOVE IT. I still don't understand it. But it's so cool. It tells me my heart rate, pace and how far I've gone. AMAZING.

Folks, I ran my FASTEST MILE EVER TODAY!!! 10:23! I couldn't believe it! I've come so far! Holy goodness! It just shows me that you can do what you put your mind to.

So if you're feeling unmotivated, discouraged, weak, or __________. Get those thoughts out of your head. CLEAR YOUR MIND OF CAN'T. the reality is... YOU CAN! You can do it. If it takes you telling yourself ALL DAY every single day that you can do it, then do that. Do whatever it takes to reach your goal! It's hard, it's fun, and my gosh... IT'S SO REWARDING!!

In the end it's going to be SOOO GOOD!!!

I DID IT!

Sleeping the night before a race is not very restful. Especially when they're calling for severe severe storms. I prayed really hard all night it seemed, that they wouldn't cancel the race or postpone. I remember waking up around 2 something and hearing the wind and monsoon type downpour. And for the next 3 or so hours I prayed in my sleep. Please Jesus, let the rain hold off and the storms stay away until after I finish. I was going to be so sad if the event was cancelled. I woke up around 5:15 and it was still pouring, and I thought to myself, well this race is going to be memorable. I started getting more and more nervous thinking about running 6.2 miles. That's a long way. A long way to continue with the same motion over and over again. And I thought had trained enough, but I hadn't gotten close to 6 miles at all during any training. Thoughts like... what were you thinking singing up for a 10k, you are going to have to walk, hope you don't trip and fall running down the finish stretch. Whew. Those thoughts were all over my head. I slowly began speaking truth into them. Yes, it's going to be challenging, but you have trained for this. you can do this. you are going to do this! It didn't make the nerves go away!

We get to the start line and it's NOT RAINING! Praise you Jesus! Annie, Kati, my dad and I were standing around waiting for them to tell us to line up and then it started to rain. I didn't even hear them start the race. I just saw everyone start moving forward... and we were off! The first mile seemed to take forever. But around mile 3, I thought to myself, wow I am really doing this. And I felt strong! I was keeping a good pace and wasn't worried about passing anyone or anything! I prayed a lot during this race. Praying that He would get the glory in it. Thanking Him repeatedly for giving me the ability to run and asked Him to help me have fun while running this race. And you know what, I did have fun. I never once thought I was going to die or felt like I needed to walk. And that was amazing. Kati is a great race partner. She paced right along with me and every mile marker we got to she would clap and cheer and tell me how great I was doing. And for a words of affirmation girl like me, it was wonderful! Miles 4 and 5 seemed to go quickly. And before I knew it, I was climbing the last hill of the race, and I felt great! I was hungry, but other than that, I felt so awesome. I was flooded with emotion at the top of the hill thinking about what I had just accomplished. I really couldn't believe I had run the entire way, never once thinking that I needed to walk. That is really crazy. Around the last curve it started to pour. BIG. RAIN. DROPS. It was so refreshing. We passed by Annie's family, we waved and smiled and kept running. Then as we approached the finish line I saw familiar faces! That's the best part. I saw Janet first, Misha, Annie, Laci, Brandon, and then I saw Mikala and Cori. I heard Drenna yell my name, but I couldn't see her until I crossed the finish line! It was so great to have so much support from my friends! I felt really loved! My dad got stuck in race traffic trying to get back from seeing me at mile 3 and missed me crossing the finish line, but he came right after! Don't worry dad, there will be another one!

I just checked the results and I came in 586th out of 687. I wasn't last!!! YAY! My average mile was 12:26 with my fastest being 11:39 on mile 6! YES!! I did it!

Running to Finish

This morning during a staff meeting, we were sharing about exciting things coming up in the next week, and people were mentioning that they were traveling, spending time with family and then I raised my hand and said... I'm running a 10k on Saturday. People clapped, I turned red and then someone asked... what's the cause. Ha, um, well I have no idea. Then Ms. Nelson asked, what's your purpose and I responded my purpose is to finish, I'm running to finish. I didn't think too much about it until we broke off into groups and started a discussion about some Pre K things and on my friend's paper it said... Running to Finish. I laughed to myself, pointed to it, and my friend said, girl you could preach that. And so the thoughts began...

Running to finish.

How many times do we start something and then quit? How many times does a dream come into our minds, then fear creeps in and we become paralyzed and do nothing? What is it that holds us back? And what is the difference between someone who follows their dreams/passions and someone who doesn't? For me, I think it has to do with a belief system we hold over ourselves. If your whole life has been filled with people telling you that you can't do something, or that it will be hard, or that it will take you more effort than others to accomplish your goal, you begin to believe it and claim it as truth.

So what would it look like if you and I stood up to our fear, looked it straight in the face and said, no thank you. You will not hold me back any more. I am strong. I can do this. I will do this. And I am finished walking around carrying this extra burden of things people say I can't do. I will finish this________ (fill in the blank) and when I am finished, I will be stronger than I was when I started. Take a look at your life and evaluate where you are and where you want to be. Then look at what's keeping you from getting there and make a change. YOU have the ability to change it. Stop walking around under the projections that everyone else has placed over you.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined."

Henry David Thoreau

And my friends, I'm simply running to finish!

and to prove to myself that it's all within me. I can do this!

I liked today's run...

Today, I actually didn't really want to run. I sat on the porch a while just enjoying the sunshine and I was completely content. I washed off the porch, tables and chairs, painted my toe-nails, and I kept waiting for the thought of running to leave my head (it didn't). You know how sometimes if a thought comes to your mind, you can often dismiss it just by simply thinking about something else. That didn't work quite so well for me this evening. I just kept thinking, I need to go for a run. Just go change your clothes and go for a run AMANDA. Oh, I even washed the windows and did a little re-arranging in my room. The thought still didn't leave. This day was absolutely beautiful. There was a perfect breeze. And it wasn't too hot! I tied my shoes and headed out the door. I was surprised at how quickly I got in the groove. There are days that it seems to take me FOREVER to get my breathing down and my mind in the running groove. But today it was different. I had decided I would do 3 miles so I calculated a route and it seemed from my first steps I just knew it was going to be a good run. When I checked my watch as I approached my house, I was excited to realize I had just run my best time for 3 miles. 34:41! And I decided today that that's my favorite part in running! Seeing the progress you make once you make up your mind to achieve something is so rewarding. Isn't that why people like to vacuum? They can see the progress they make when cleaning. Running is the same way. Your body gets stronger and you begin to do things that you didn't think possible. Oh the mental battle that goes on while running. It's so crazy. Little coaching moments happen all the time during my runs. Telling myself not to give up, to push thru, to visualize the finish line and people cheering you on.

I love good running days. Tomorrow's run might not be the same. but as for today, I am happy with the progress!

“Success is steady progress toward one's personal goals”

Jim Rohn

Orange Juice and Phat Burrito

So I am just going to throw this out there... if you can relate, awesome. if not, you learn just a little bit more about me... you're welcome. :-)

I have been having some really bizarre cravings while running in the past couple of weeks. Well maybe they're not too bizarre, but still strange to really want them on a run. One day I was running through uptown and around mile 3 or so all I could think about was a nice large glass of orange juice. I was picturing myself drinking it. enjoying it. and it. was. all. i. thought. about. for the next 1.5 miles! I came home, drank too much orange juice and felt sick. Another craving I've gotten while running is a burrito from Phat Burrito right down the street from me. I run out for a couple miles and then on the home stretch, all I want and think about is a big burrito. I feel like there is something wrong with that picture. Does anyone else ever get some weird cravings while on a run?

Side Note:

10 days until the 10k. holy goodness! It's going to be amazing!