running

"let a healthy attitude reign. decide & commit

to the idea that nothing's going to get you down

& you're not giving up. go out & live!

expend your great God-given energy & do something.

be the keeper of your mental outlook & take charge!"

the quote and pair of brooks running shoes above

have been my encouragement over the

last year to finally become a "runner."

2 years ago when i had had it with my lack of physical fitness, i decided to try my hand at running. after 2 really nasty cases of shin splints, i was ready to give up. i was sooo frustrated at putting my all into something & only coming up short. i was ready to tell myself that running just wasn't for me, but something in me just wasn't satisfied with that. i wanted to be able to be physically fit & do all the things i loved, but i knew it was going to take a struggle to get there. that's when the above quote came to me in something i was reading. i don't remember where i found it, but it's now taped to the top of my computer monitor where i can read it everyday.

i really felt like my attitude was weighing me down and i decided that with a lot of prayer & choosing to have a healthy attitude, i WAS going to run!! after a chat with my chiropractor & him talking me into getting orthodics for my shoes to help with my shin splints, i was back at running once again.

i wanted to live, to run, to feel my body really working hard to get stronger & i can happily say that after pushing through, i can now run! still not as long or as far as i would like to run, but i'm running!! i'm a runner! that's something i never thought i would EVER be able to say!

i now run at 2 or 3 days a week & it feels great!! ... well most days : ) my next goal for running is to run a 5K. it may not seem like much, but it will be my first big running accomplishment.

i hope this quote will encourage you to go out & live, expend the amazing energy that God has given you & challenge yourself to do something you've never thought you'd be able to do!! i think you'll be surprised at what you are really capable of doing.

have a great wednesday!
-aw