Good Training.

 "You may want something beautiful and fear it at the same time, you may find it both beautiful and ugly."

Tristine Rainer

I have these thoughts of adventure, exhilarating, and frightful all wound up together. Races in different places. I love the things that make me tremble, the dreams right on the edge of brilliance and foolishness. 

Andy always says that it has something to do with my childhood. I am sure he is right, growing up with addiction your adrenaline is pumping pretty high. 

And while I don't drink or smoke or toke, I do love the temptations of fear and failure that adrenalin can birth. 

Run Rabbit run is now less than 7 weeks away. 

I am feeling pretty healthy physically, and more confident in my training after this week. 

Total miles July 24-30th

Total miles: 76.02

Time: 14H 24min

Elevation: 4,200

75K: "It's Good Training

This week the trails have been overtaken with bugs, the humidity has been as thick as snot and the rain has wreaked havoc on the trails. 

But its all "good training". Learning to suffer gives you both experience and tolerance. 

A friend of mine was doing a 50K up north and also running a 25K.

I was running the same 25K and looking for a 50K. I opted to just run local. 

My running partner created a 15.5 mile loop. We invited everyone in our running group for our epic "Groveland Grit 50k". I arrived at 6:32am, a couple minutes late and laughing when I didn't see any other cars but ours and a whole lot of rain. 

No Takers. 

"It's good training" I said at some point of our run. 

"You think everything is 'Good Training" was the response. 

Groveland Grit 50K

I started training with BABY FOOD a few weeks ago! I showed it to a friend of mine, Sarah and she even tried it for her 50K.  I am a real food runner; I don't do a lot of gu's. I prefer whole foods and this had fruit, yogurt and chia in it. 

Truth is I think suffering is good training and that is what I did. It rained on us for almost 3 hours. 

My running partner killed over 30 bugs. 

Andy road his bike to run with us and changed his mind it was so nasty out. 

I fell 2 times in 3 miles and 3 times in 5 miles, giving a lot of concern to what the next 25 miles would look like. At that rate, I would have body parts in the woods and would need to borrow Andys helmet to run in to protect my brain, that I am pretty sure wasn't working right in the first place. 

Regardless, we finished, 31 miles with over 3,600 ft of elevation. 

 

Most people might chill out and put their feet up in order to do it again at 8:30 that night. Me, well, I wasn't passing up the opportunity to enjoy the afternoon with my daughter in love. It was a active recovery before I had to lace up my shoes again. 

Red Moon Run 25K

This would be my FIRST race I ever ran in a PROM DRESS! Sarah and I decided since we both ran a 50K we would just have fun at the 25K. She stopped at a Goodwill and for 10$ found us both prom dresses! 

We did it and even smiled crossing the finish!

RUNDOWN:

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Hebrews 12:11

This scripture is in a chapter of Hebrew labeled "The Race for Faith". I have found great encouragement from the words in this chapter. 

The scripture in context is referring to the discipline of the Lord. Discipline is for our good. 

 

When the morning started for my 50K, I went to the Lord in prayer. 

When I finished, even though I was scraped up, bitten up, sore and tired I went to the Lord in prayer, with thanksgiving and humility. He still kept me strong and steadfast. 

When the National Anthem played right before the race that evening, I went to the Lord again in prayer. First with gratitude, then asking the Lord to help me persevere with strength and endurance. 

"It's Good Training." Yes, I was hurting, and it didn't exactly feel-good winding my wobble sticks up again, but I knew I needed it for my training. And I knew it would prove itself beneficial for Run Rabbit Run. 

Life is like this. Life doesn't always feel good. We are all training in life. 

Life "entangles" us. 

Life has hostility, hurts, and hang-ups. 

But detouring from some of life's pains doesn't teach us to rely on the Lord. When I fully rely on the Lord to walk me through the fires of life it doesn't feel good, but I can count it all joy that I am suffering. (James 1:2-8)

 "You may want something beautiful and fear it at the same time, you may find it both beautiful and ugly."

For every pain I have felt, for every good idea gone bad, for every tear shed, for all the sweat, suffering and struggles I have endured it is all Good Training. 

It is all part of the risk of living. Because Life is Meant for the Living. 

In Peace, not Pieces, 

Anita