5Ks and Follow Me

If you happen to be one of the people who read my blog and can't wait to see what I've written about this time, I'm sorry I have made you wait so long. ;)  Thank you for being patient with me.  Everyone else, thanks for stopping by to check it out.

You see, this post isn't really going to be about running...I have been looking much deeper into my heart since my last post.  After BSIM, I took a break from running because my knee had been doing that weird catching thing, yet didn't seem to get better if I ran, so I took some time off.  "Gasp!" you say.  I know.  Buuuttt, you know what, it has worked.  I have ran 2 5ks in the past 6 weeks during my time "off".  No, I haven't set any PRs.  Not even close, actually, but I have ran without my knee catching.  With that being said, I still have a really tight left hip flexor and right hamstring.  Of course I'm stretching!  Who do you think I am?  Jillian Michaels?  (You'll get this if you've ever made it to the cool-down portion of her videos.  Girl has zero flexibility but I still love her workouts.) 

The first 5k I ran was the Girls on the Run Color Run with the group I had coached all semester from the school where I teach.  I buddied up with one of the girls without a parent to run.  Lily was relentless.  She told me before we started the race, "My mom said I have to run the whole thing" with worry in her eyes.  I looked into that little girl's face and I told her that we would do just that.  She didn't believe that she could but I talked about pacing.  She still wasn't sure she could do it...but I knew that she could.  And you know what?  We ran that whole 3.1 miles.  At times, I felt like she was pulling me because I'd like to think I was still recovering from the marathon.  We finished around the 34 minute mark.  GOTR races don't keep times so I don't know the exact...but, really, who cares?  Not I, not Lily (who is a 3rd grader, might I add), and not Lilly's parents who proudly watched and cheered her on from the sidelines.  Not only did Lilly run a 5k that day, but she also conquered those voices that tell girls that they aren't "good enough", "pretty enough", or "cool enough".  That's what Girls on the Run is about.  Plugging into the positive cord.  If you want to find out more about the program go to www.stronggirlsrun.com.  Molly Barker has an amazing vision.

My buddy and I getting "color splashed"!

The second 5K I ran was on Father's Day and aptly titled You Da Man 5K.  If you know me, you know I'm not a huge fan of 5Ks.  I'm just not speedy and when I expect to break a PR every time I run one, I will be sorely disappointed.  But this wasn't just any ol' 5K.  No, this one benefitted Prostate Cancer Awareness.  How often do those come around?  We hear about Susan G. Komen, and other, races for Breast Cancer all the time.  Isn't it about time we start showing the men in our lives we support them too, and want them to stay healthy and aware?  Well, someone did...and I'm glad.  This disease is a "cancer" that has affected my family in more ways that one.  Not only did we lose my papaw too early, but my dad was also diagnosed 2 years ago...but don't give him any pity.  He doesn't want it or need it.  He is a strong man and is doing well because he was proactive.  (Please, make the men in your life get regular check-ups!! It might just save their lives!)  My dad, mom, sister, and 7 year-old nephew ran this race with me.  It was first for my mom, sister, and nephew, but the second for my dad.  He had ran a 5K with me 2 years ago for my birthday.  I was so proud to see my whole immediate family cross that finish line that day!  Praise Jesus!  It was just so overwhelming and emotional for me.  I am especially proud of my mom.  She, like Lilly, didn't think that she could do it...but she did!  The whole thought of that day puts a smile on my face.

After the finish!

Thank you all for entertaining my thoughts on running.  Now we go to the book.  I have been reading Follow Me by David Platt. 

In it, he is just explaining to us, in layman's terms what God wants from each of us.  It's simple, all he asks is Follow Me.  Drop what you are doing, and Follow Me...it is a call to die to ourselves and live for Jesus.  I'm intentionally processing right now and trying to figure out what that looks like for me.  I'm in a pretty cool position that I can go anywhere and do anything that God wants me to do so I'm excited to see where he leads me.  Have you read this book?  What is it looking like for you in your lives?  Any radical changes?  I'm curious. 

More on this later...