Stop and Go

For the last few days I've been having some difficulty running a full mile let alone two or three. My lungs had been giving me fits and just when that obstacle clears another seems to fall right into it's place. My left knee has been bothering me a bit and, more than that, my shins have been screaming incessantly.

What is the deal?!

Saturday I ended up having to call my husband to pick me up because my knee started popping when I would put pressure on it. I figured I'd better not push my luck so I gave up and sat on a rock while I waited for him to rescue me.

Sunday I felt like I was starting to get shin splints or something. I've had them before so I can recognize the feeling. However, this doesn't entirely feel like that. I stopped multiple times and stretched my calf muscles and attempted to continue my quest of running a full three miles. No luck. I opted not to push myself to the point of injury and walked the rest of the way. I ended up running and walking a total of 1.47 miles.

Running is still fairly new to me. I've only been doing it for about three months now. In that time I have learned that there is no such thing as a bad run. The fact that I lace up and get out the door earns me big points. I'm really not beating myself up over these runs at all. However, I would really like to run more than a mile or a mile and a half at a time. It's something to continue to work for. I know.

This morning I got up, ate a banana, laced up and took off. I ran about 3/4 of a mile before I stopped and walked. I stretched my calves, caught my breath, and took off again. My lungs felt really great. No burning and no panting like a dog. Wooo! I continued to walk/run until the one mile point.

I turned around and began walking back. I was pretty much resigned to walking all the way home. "I want you to run." a voice in my head said. Now, being a Christian I've had multiple conversations with God. Sometimes I know it's Him by the things that He says and other times I question if it's me. Today, I questioned.

"Is that me?" I thought. "No, you already quit." the voice responded. Yep, that's not me. That's God.
"I want you to run." He said again.
"Will you be with me?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Will you give my body strength when it's tired or hurting?" I questioned.
"Yes."
"Will you give my mind what it needs to keep my body moving?" I asked.
"Yes." He replied.

"Ok, then. Here we go!" I shouted as I began to run. I ran. And I ran. And I ran.

Just when I felt like giving up, a song that I've never heard before started playing on my iPod. It's on an album that's been there forever, but I've apparently never listened to the whole thing before. It started, "On and on and on and on she goes. Where she stops nobody knows!"

I felt a huge smile make it's way across my face as I realized that song was meant for me. I kept running. I ran all the way home.