Colorado 2013

     Friends, family, and people I don't know: the airline tickets are booked!  My mom and I will be headed back to Colorado early this June and I could not be more excited!  If it weren't for the state track meet, I would just wish to skip the next few months-- ya, I'm dissing graduation.  So tell me: any ideas where we should go?

Busy, Busy, Busy

     Yikes!  Things have been flying by lately-- good things though.  If you've been keeping up with my posts, I've been praying a lot lately about my tendon that I pulled last week and my fatigue that may have gone away, but has been a problem lasting since September-ish.  I am so thankful today though, because I went to see both a Kinesiologist (they did weird stuff, but I think it worked, and I'll see for sure soon as I have supplements that should help) and a sports dietitian.  Another praise is that I was able to run 40 min. today without pain in my tendon.  It got a little tight towards the end, but that's a far cry from the excruciating pain I've had the past week.  I cross trained Friday and Saturday and took my usual Sunday off.  I also went forward for prayer on Sunday after church because the sermon really spoke to me and I became overwhelmed with the power of God.  Our pastor was speaking about faith, and one thing he said really hit me: "It's not about perfect faith, but persevering faith."  

     So much of my struggle lately has been on "doing it perfectly," not doubting, and keeping my chin up.  Yet, God really reminded me on Sunday of the promises he has for me as his daughter and for this track season specifically.  I can trust him!  I am extremely blessed and fortunate, but I have also had many struggles in my life-- enough that I should know that God is faithful.  Yet, I fail and fail, and I just keep on going.  The beautiful thing about this walk of faith is that we don't have to do it perfectly.  He is going to do "exceedingly more than we can ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20).  They way God met my soul where I was really showed me that truth, and I am so grateful that he cares about my energy and my tendon, and he cares about me enough to do something amazing in my life for his glory!

The joy of God

     One of my favorite bands, Starfield, has a great song that starts out:

"I've got something to say
It's been one of those days
And I'm finding it hard to believe, in you
I've got something to say
Right now it feels like you are slipping away
Like I am drowning in a crisis of faith
Like I'm alone"

     Because I have made this blog to be anonymously honest about my life, I've will share that that's exactly how I felt today.  Without delving into the whole story, I injure my Poreneal Tendon last week during a track workout, and it's been slow to healing because I've been running on it whenever I can-- as in: not really resting it.  Yesterday, the day before our meet today, I could only run for 5 min. before I physically could not push off that foot anymore.  The athletic trainer assures me that it can be healed up by next weekends invitational, but not if I keep running on it and slowing the progress.  Frustrated, I agreed with both his and my coaches terms and bowed out of my scheduled races for today's meet.  As a result, I woke up angry and upset this morning, wondering how miserably cold I would be while standing at a meet for six hours, watching everyone else run.  I was really grateful though for Running with Joy (Click here for background on this reference.)  I read it on the bus, and got to an amazing part where Ryan talks about how he went to watch his wife race and had a difficult time watching the other runners-- some of his competitors-- run very well.  He talked about how that acted as a "heart check" for him, yet how he was glad that he had grown very much in that area already.  That was an encouragement to me (even elite Christian runners have this problem!)  At the same time, it reminded me that I am servant of God whom the world sees-- whether I act like it or no-- as a representation of him.  That put my circumstances in a completely different light!
    I won't lie though; I did spend most of the meet texting my dad about how I was a.) frustrated, b.) feeling abandoned by God, or c.) a frenzied combo of the two.  It was a hard day for me, but it wasn't until two hours into the meet that I stopped letting that be an excuse for my poor attitude.  I began to realize that I although I can't see it right now, God wants to bless me and not hurt me (Jeremiah 29:11), so this must be for my good.  I struggled with that though, and stayed a little mopey all day-- which I'm not proud of.
     I am struggling so much with trusting God in these moments, even though I know that these are the times when I am trusted with guarding my faith and standing strong.  I also know that I don't have to do all this perfectly, yet I constantly forget these truths.
     So what am I grateful for today?  Good question........and yet, I know that this is probably the best thing for me right now.  So here it goes.  I'm grateful:
1. God forgives my mopey attitude, wishy-washy faith, and accusatory
2.  My tendon should be back to its normal self next week, if God doesn't intervene sooner.
3.  My joy doesn't have to rely on circumstances, running, or what others think of me

The Running world and Hebrews 12:1

     I realize that as a teenage-Christian-runner-blogger, I am the minority.  However, I have the hope that among the Christian-runner-blog audience, I am slightly more in the norm.  I realize that the rest of the world already considers runners a little wacko (RELATED: How to anger a cross country runner), but among Christian runners, there is an even greater stereotypical image we retain.  One of the funniest and strangest little cliche's is the universal fascination runners have with the same Bible verses.  I know that all scripture is profitable.  I just think it's funny that the whole Christian running community seems to flock to the same two or three passages.
 Now, let's be honest: I'm sure I'm not the only one who has gotten on Bible Gateway or a Bible app. and searched for the term "running." I hit "search" and watch with wide eyed anticipation for the magical verse that will give victory and success in all running endeavors.  Then, we proceed to write these precious verses on note-cards or a forearm.  We post them to Facebook on the day of a big race, often with a blurb on how we will "more than conquer" all  other runners, who are terrible heathens worthy of destruction.  Right?  I mean, God has to make us win against those kinds of runners!
     The verse we are most guilty of claiming for our own success and pride, seems to be the good old Hebrews 12:1.  I'm sure you've heard this one from a runner or two:
 

     Yes, we have laid claim to this one, big time.  I mean, the rest of the world mocks runners, so we  have the right.  If we want to hold fast to Hebrews 12:1 and plaster it on every DriFit shirt and water bottle we lay our hands on, it must be a "God thing," right?  It's just a divine move of God that almost every runner has the same favorite verse.
     I dare you: go to the Facebook page of a fellow Christian runner. Click on the "About" section and scroll until you hit the jackpot.  Underneath movie quotes-- and some Pre ones-- you will find Hebrews 12:1 printed across the page, loud and proud.  If it is a girl's page, their might even be a little heart next to the verse.
     I suggest then, that we Copyright Hebrews 12:1.  Boxers have that verse in 1 Corinthians.  Dancers have practically the entire book of Psalms.  Runners?  There is a handful of Bible verses that mention the word "run."  We need to protect that before some soccer player or confused racecar driver steals our claim to fame.  It is time to band together my friends.  I now realize that in reality, this is not a silly ordeal at all.  It is a matter of God's love for his running children.  We must show that world that we are in fact so legit, that Bible verses reference our sport.  It's just a God thing guys.  Just a God thing.

What I'm grateful for on April 3

     My recent lack of blog posts should tell you that track season is fully in swing!  I am already seeing God move on my team, as we had our second "Track Girls Bible Study" tonight at my house.  What a blessing that it is to minister to other girls and grow closer to God at the same time!  Like I previously mentioned, I'm really learning to trust God and not the circumstances, for my joy (See: What I'm Grateful for on April 1).  God is giving me so many chances for that.  I am still battling against fear that I will experience the same fatigue problem again, that has disappeared as mysteriously as it appeared.  I will praise the Lord though, because I know he has good plans for me (Jeremiah 29:11).  I just need to remember that, because I so often forget that God is a good God just like he is a powerful God.  Not only is he ABLE to do great and mighty things through me, but he wants to!  

     I am really grateful that he has used the fatigue and the pulled tendon this week to show me what faith in him really requires.  He is also showing me that I need to find my joy in him alone, not in feelings or race results.  Praise you Lord that you are bringing me closer and closer to you, despite my faults and sins.  

     God is waaaaaaaay to good for me! 

What I'm grateful for on April 1

     Phew..I've made it through (most of) April Fool's day largely unscathed-- aside from a two second freak-out that Ryan Hall was amputating his legs, but then I realized how stupid that would be!  (unfortunately, the post was removed because certain people were offended, although I have no clue why.)
     That alone is quite a blessing to be grateful for; can you imagine if Ryan Hall was no longer being one of the only reasons America can take pride in our distance runners, praising God along the way?
     Anyway, I really am grateful though because I pulled my peroneal tendon during a track workout Friday, and it's been a pain to try and heal up. I stopped 52 min. into my Saturday long run because I could no longer run on it..at all.  Pretty stupid in hindsight, because it was hurting terribly yesterday.  However, the athletic trainer told me to alternate hot/cold on it, with the possibility that I can still run in our first meet tomorrow.  I am so grateful for that because I wasn't sure after I headed to the bike after a measly four minutes of painful running at practice today.  I also know that I cannot put trust of joy in what the circumstances are.  That is the same message that hit me hard as I have started reading Ryan Hall's book Running with Joy.  He talks about asking himself daily, "where are you finding your joy?  In the race results or in God?"  That is something I have done all too often, so this is a great exercise of faith for me.  I am praying for healing on my foot, but trusting that God's got something even better if that's not the case.  At the same time, I am praying that my fatigue will not return as I return to school, but I'm trusting God in that.  I don't have to know.  I have great energy right now.  I feel great and I am so blessed that God has revived me and allowed me to run freely this week.  I know he is good and I trust him as I move forward into HIS season.
     Have a blessed Monday and may you trust him as well-- we have so much to be thankful for!

Book Review: "Born to Run"

   
     As a runner, I was intensely curious when I unwrapped the gift of Born to Run at Christmastime last year.  However, as a high school student, I was strapped for time and unable to even start the book until vacation that next summer.  I read the first chapter, loved it, and then completely forgot the book when the pressures of a privileged teenage life overtook me again.  I was so excited then, when I was cleaning my room last month and found the book under loads of laundry on my bed.  That very night, I cracked it open and began right where I'd left off.

RELATED: Book Review of "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand.  A must read for runners!


     Born to Run is a runner's book-- no doubt-- but it is also an adventurer's book, a book for the traveler, or the explorer.  The novel focuses on a simple yet complex task of the narrator himself: to find the Tarahumara Mexican tribe and discover more about the world of ultrarunning.  Ultrarunning is more than just marathon distances run on trails.  Rather, it is the crazy sport of crazy people who run and run and run.  Sure, they might run 26.2 miles, but they ultrarunners more than likely will be doing runs of 50, 100, or even 150 miles, out in the wild back-country.  I've always loved trail running, but this "crazy" sport of ultramarathon running is now a yearning of mine after reading Born to Run, and I'll tell you why.

One of my favorite passages in the book. I think it also
shows how captivating the book is.

     Author and narrator, Christopher McDougall, sets out into Copper Canyon in Mexico, to find the illusive Tarahumara superhuman runners.  They are legendary for their stint appearances in such races at the Leadville 100.  As the book relays, a wilderness photographer named Rick Fisher began to speculate to the Tarahumara's greatness, and began running some of the men in the Leadville 100 in exchange for food payment.  After a short while, he began trying to make a profit of the Tarahumara runners and they again retreated into their canyon, but not before Micah True paced one of them in the Leadville race and was enthralled by their raw love of running.  Micah True then disapeared off the grid.  He was completely accepted my the Tarahumara, out of respect for the way he helped one of their people.  He became "Caballo Blanco," and he was the one that McDougall truly wanted to find when he ventured through drug dealer's turf to get to Copper Canyon.  When the two finally met up, Caballo Blanco told McDougal of the wild idea he had to run a race-- a real distance race-- on the Tarahumara's home ground.
     What follows, is a captivating and exciting story of how that race actually came to be.  It weaves through the history of trail running and recounts the great inspiration that has driven mankind to run for centuries.  I thoroughly enjoyed this refreshing and inspirational story.  Once I started reading again, I read the entire thing-- sans the first chapter-- in a mere three night's reading.  Aside from some foul language and an evolutionary standpoint-- which I just ignored and saw the amazing design God has created in us that allows running-- I can't say a bad thing about the book.  For the Tarahumara, running is such an intrinsic part of life that they run everywhere just for the joy of it.  They love to compete, but they also just plain love running.  All aspects of the book fascinated me, and I would highly recommend it!
     I found myself constantly trying to read "just one more page" and staying up to late, in order to discover the world of the Tarahumara runners and the freedom of truly running with joy.  "That was the real secret of the Tarahumara: they'd never forgotten what it felt like to love running.  They remembered that running was mankind's first fine art, our original act of inspired creation."  If you are in need of a recollection on why you run, I encourage to you pick up Born to Run and then just try to put it down.  If not for a sudden urge to run, you may be pouring over the pages until you have explored the world of ultrarunning cover to cover.

RELATED: A Book Review: "Practicing His Presence"