Back on track

Well, I haven't been bloggin much nor have I been running much as my miles YTD show.  The foot is getting better and I was able to catch a "dry" hour this weekend and hit the road - logged 8.5 miles on Sunday and the run felt good and even more important - little to no pain later that evening or the next morning.

This has been an interesting time for me - I've relied on running to not only stay healthy but to manage serious stress.  The injury came right before a highly stressful 3-week period when the examiners were coming into the bank and as the Senior Credit Officer a large pice of the exam falls on me and my team.  That's the background so when I say it was a bad time to not be able to run, it appeared to be a huge understatement.  As I mentally worked through that and prayed for healing it became very clear to me and God responded and said to me that running is great and is a gift He has given me that I enjoy but it is not a replacement for His peace and provision.  The verse came to me that it is "not by might, nor by strength, but by my Spirit says the Lord" and that during this stressful 3-week period it will be the peace of God's spirit that will get me through, not my own "stress management" through running.  God was faithful and true to His word - it was a stressful time but He provided a true peace as well as discernement and wisdom - God is so very good and faithful, all the time.

I did manage to get some treadmill runs of 3-5 miles in at various times as well as the occassional 5-miles on the High School track but weekly mileage dropped to 9-miles and only slowly crept up to the mid-to-high teens.  With the start of 8.5-miles on Sunday looking forward to getting into the mid-20's and then next week hitting back in the 30-miles plus.  To self motivate I've registered myself and my son in two races.  In April there is The Seahawks 12-K in Renton and then in May the Snoqualmie Half-Marathon.  The Half will be my son's final exam (you know us homeschooling parents) for PE credit.  Getting registered is a good motivator for us both and we're looking forward getting on track for successful runs.  Glad to be back in the routine.