My knee hurts...

I haven't ran since Wednesday in an attempt to heal my knee. I had this feeling in my left knee when training for the half but this is taking longer to go away...I also had a job interview and 20 hours of work in 3 days and Sunday I wasw supposed to run 20 kms but went to church instead. I felt God really wanted me at church today instead of running and WOW! What a powerful service both at 10am and 6pm. I am running the 20 kms Tuesday morning instead with a friend. God always makes a way :) Pray that my knee gets better because I know that God will heal me.

10 km Wednesday

Even though I ran a 59 minute 10 km WEdnesday morning, it was the most painful and longest of my life. I coulodn't breathe, I wasw sluggish, my knee hurt, I was cold. Funny how the week before I ran 20kms no problem. That's the joys of running I guess. I had another interview today for a job and an expecting a call my end of tomorrow about it as well as I have an interview Monday morning for another job. I need a job but it is stressing me out trying to find one and not make a bad decision. My husband is also job interviewing although this morning he got the job he wanted finally. 2009 was a crazy year for us. 2010 is starting off great so far. I know I just need to keep on running...

Tuesday Group Run

As I write this I am on a conference call for Team In Training. More on my participation next week...just ran 6.5 km at a nice fast pace with a great older man-I love running with new people! 16 km tomorrow. Also a JOB INTERVIEW!!! Finally after 8 months. I do know that God's plan for me are ALWAYS better then my own plans so I know a job will come in due time.

Treadmill running

I don't like running on a treadmill.PERIOD. I ran yesterday night at my husbands gym 4miles...it was terrible. I am off to run 6.5 kms with my running group tonight and a 10 miler tomorrow morning. Possibly a yoga class tonight too.

2009

Now that I am happily settled into 2010 I started reflecting on 2009...it goes a little something like this....Spent New Year's of 2009 in Whistler, BC visiting bf's brother for 10 days, came home and attempted to go to gym to lose weight for upcoming wedding....April got laid off from dream job and only job since University...went to Las Vegas with 3 of my single friends to celebrate...sort of...came back unemployed. 3 weeks later fiance got laid off - awesome we are getting married in November and we have no jobs...May 2009 started running to fill my boring day as well as started going to bible studies and teaching Key Bible to fill time. Started p/t job because it was all I could find. July decided I was going to train and run a half marathon November 1st - Road to Hope in Hamilton, Ontario. August moved back home with my parents til my wedding (hardest thing I have ever done but so many blessings came out of it!!!) September 2009 ran past 10 kms and foudn a running buddy in my town. November 1st - all by myself - no pace bunnies and no plans - also drank no water or gels or bars - finished the half marathon in 1:52!!!!! God is so good all the time! Lost a grand total of 37 lbs in 2009. Got 6 inches removed from my wedding dress 2 weeks before wedding and November 25th married my amazing husband in Dominican. 2009 was a crazy crazy year. Spiritual I was on an amazing journey in God's presence. Emotionally it was a rollercoaster and physically it was exhausted BUT I learned so much. I realized how how little material things in this world mean compared to the love of God. I would have never guessed ringing in 2009 at the base of Whister Mountian that I would have gone through such an amazing transformation inside and out. I run because God called me to run and through it my purpose is being revealed. I feel it. 2010 promises to bring greater things then 2009. I have been called to run a marathon and I I know the training is harder, longer and weather is more difficult but I am prepared as long as I stay in the word and path that God has for me.

Workouts this week

Monday I did an hour and fifteen minute runner's workout routine from Coach using weights and a yoga mat. It went by really fast by watching 100 Huntley Street the entire. It was a great full body work out of 7 pages of exercises. Easy to follow. I plan to do it every Monday night. I am not going to lie - Tuesday I was in a lot of pain from the workout and had to rest. Wednesday I wasn't feeling the greatest so I did an hour walk because Thursday was my long run of the week. 20 kms. We managed a 2 hour time with very even 10 km splits of 59 mins and 1:01. I felt great but my left knee is still pulling. I blame it on my work shoes so before work I went and bought new ones. Hope that's the solution!

Sunday Run:
Today was tough on my knee. I just came off 19 hours on my feet for work and couldn't walk. I have the cheapest work shoes I could find. Not the smartest thing when my job requires me to be on my feet on hard tile the ENTIRE TIME...I am fine when I am working but when I stop for a bit I really feel it. Right now its my right knee. It's throbbing - keep you awake at night - pain. So today I decided to go out after Fridays short and sweet fast 4km for a longer 14.5km run. I can't walk now...Like I said it's fine when I am active but when I stop I am hurting. Going out Tuesday night with no limit and spending the money on good quality work shoes. I spend more time in them then running so I should. Just hope that I don't take too long to recover from my own stupidity....I plan on going to a hot yoga class this week as that seems to really help me out. It's expensive but I like it.

Runs this week:
Tuesday was 10 km hills run on treadmill. It actuallywent by really really quickly.
Today (Wednesday) I ran 16 kms outside with a friend. My legs felt like trunks...but I made it...I put that in there today because I can't run this weekend and needed to get my long run in. Planning on running Friday morning for 10-12km. All and all a great week weather wise. My friend and I are trying to decide which marathon to enter. We are thinking Mississauga or Ottawa...I officially signed up for Around the Bay - big step for me as I have a lofty personal goal for that of 3 hours...training hard til March 28th....

Running Goals for 2010

Well I am only about 8 months into my running career if you can call it that. It's my first winter running which hasn't been too challenging so far...so I decided to set some goals for 2010 for running.

1. Run Around the Bay in Hamilton, Ontario (30kms) March 28th
2. Run a marathon May/June. Leaning towards Mississauga...
3. Focus on 5/10 kms in the summer months
4. Guide run a marathon in the fall

I am aiming for 3 hours or under for Around the Bay
I am hoping for 4 hours or under for the marathon

Question: Are these too unrealistic for a newbie runner?

Running for a Purpose

God called me to run so I would draw closer to him. In His true nature his plans for me were so much better then my own. He has blessed me so much and I have learned more since May about myself and God then in my whole life. I know that God loves me and has an amazing plan for my life. I will wait and trust in Him in the next step of my life (mainly a job) because I know He knows the desires of my heart. This is the song by Hillsong that has been in my heart and has kept me running since the seasons have changed to snowy white...until then I know I am to continue running as He called me to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE33ejdgWIY

Proverbs 3:5-12

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.
But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;
don't sulk under his loving correction.
It's the child he loves that God corrects;
a father's delight is behind all this.

Sunday Long Run

Wow today was a fantastic day to venture out with 21 other fellow runners for my first long run as a part of this new running group I joined. As you know I just started running in May 2009 so this is my first winter running...and I decided I needed back up. I had a great experience running all summer up to 10 kms on my own. In September God orchestrated a divine meeting with a fellow runner in my town to train with as I had it on my heart to run a half marathon November 1, 2009. We met up about 1-2 times a week for long runs mostly and I trained the other 1-2 times on my own. This worked out well for both of us and I am especially proud of my half marathon time of 1:52 but now that it's chilly out I am still running with my friend 1-2 times a week but really find it hard to run on my own. At the half marathon finish I ran into a family friend who ran a running group near where I live and suggested coming out. They run twice a week together - just what I need! I have some pretty heavy goals for a newbie this year so this is just what I need. Today was a hilly 18kms in -12 with a slight wind and half sun half cloud. Trying to find a person to run with has been a challenge. I ran Tuesday with someone then got placed with a person they thought was more my pace today and they are suggesting Tuesday another person. That's fine by me as I finished very strong today I feel I can step up more. After all I want these runs to count in my training process. I really enjoyed running and talking - it made time go by a lot quicker but I did miss my usual time of prayer and listening to Hillsong. I will make a point of taking time for myself to focus on the One who made me more next run. After all is the the Beginning and End - the Author of my Life!

How I came to run

It was May 2009, I just got back from Vegas for a week with my girlfriends to find myself laid off from my job I loved. It was my only job since University. It had become my entire world as happens to many people. For 6 years I let it consume my life and I had let my life outside of work pass me by. Spiritually and physically I was a mess. I was 30-40 lbs over weight and unhappy. I just didn't realize it until I didn't have to go to work anymore and I had to spend 40 plus hours a week with myself instead. I felt an overwhelming sense of despair until I woke up one day to a desire to run...I hadn't done much physical activity in the past 6 years let alone run but with a lot of time on my hands I started slowly but surely. The more I ran the more in God's word I got. God changed my entire attitude towards running and food. I give Him all the credit and all the Glory because He strengthens me and is with me every step of the way. Running is my way of staying in close fellowship with God. He definitely revealed Himself to me in the months since I started running. I am thankful every day that I can run to worship the King of Kings!