Running Down your Thoughts: Obstacles

Last week I was at work and I was organizing my ideas for the 5 Days of Intentional Living Series. One of the girls I work with was sitting next to me. "Kelli" is a newer Believer and actively pursues God. I leaned into her and asked her "Kelli, what are some topics you would like to read about?"
She replied "The mind...How to fight the thoughts that run in your mind."

"We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ."   2 Corinthians 10:5

Obstacles.. are those things that get in our way. The new craze in running now is obstacle races. As you set out to run your desired distance there are obstacles along the course you have to overcome to complete the race. 

I have ran a couple of them, the Warrior Dash and the Merrel Down and Dirty. Some of the obstacles took all my strength and stamina to overcome. And some of the obstacles required letting some things go to conquer.

It seems like our life is an obstacle course. As we go through this life we are often just running on Autopilot. Things are running pretty smooth and BAM! We hit a road block, a pot hole, turbulence or we find ourselves against the wind. 

4 Points to Overcoming Obstacles:

 1. " For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear Not, I will help thee." Isaiah 41:13

In the Obstacles of life we see that mountain and try to prepare for it but there is just no warning and we feel unequipped to get through that obstacle.
 I am not a good swimmer. As I was running one of these courses I stumbled out of a trail that opened up into a large pond. Fear instantly grabbed me. I felt my heart pounding out of my chest. It was a mess with all these runners kicking each other to the other side. I did not look like Mike Phelps diving into the frigid water but I did not allow my fear to hold me hostage.

2. "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Galatians 5:24

In the obstacles of life often times the biggest challenge is NOT Overcoming the Obstacle it is Overcoming Ourselves. We can be the biggest challenge. We can make a mountain out of a mole hill. We put ourselves around people we should not be with, we go to places we should not be at, or entertain conversations that should not be talked about and create our own challenges. We can sabotage our course faster than we can get through it. 

3. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path." Proverbs 3:5-6
Some of the challenge of running our course is to know when to conquer and when to go around those obstacles and continue moving forward.  We must allow God to direct us and give us understanding on how to move ahead.

 4. "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.." Hebrews 12:1
The obstacles of life can require us to shed the the weights that hold us down. Have you ever noticed most long distance runners barely have any clothes on? Because they chafe, blister, get hot and often times the more we wear the more we feel weighed down. I ran the warrior dash with my husband and my 13 year old son, Austin. Austin and I had matching green Tutus! At the time the idea seemed great but what I didn't take into account was how much that little mesh skirt was going to hinder me. See Austin was smart enough when diving into the water to let that skirt sink to the bottom. Me, I wanted that skirt, I liked my skirt, I payed for that skirt... and that skirt almost DROWNED me. I can not swim real well anyhow and I was focusing so hard on trying to hold onto that soaking wet skirt that I was taking in water and out of breath.
That is what we do. "But I WANT it..." We hold onto things that we should let go. These things hold us back and weigh us down.

What Obstacles are you facing right now?
Are you carrying weights that are holding you back? Weights of pride, selfishness, forgiveness, anger...?
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Remember to check out the other Bloggers in this series on 5 days of Living Life Intentional.

Anita

Rules to Running Your own Race*

When it comes to taking care of our bodies physically we are often juggling life to find time. But when it comes to training our minds we have a barrage of opportunities and plenty of time to exercise our hearts and minds.
We are bombarded with obstacles that affect our heart on a daily basis. Whether it is staying content with our life when we see our neighbor has a Furniture truck showing up again or we are dealing with poopy diapers and another morning with out a shower and feel less than ladylike. 
Everywhere we turn we try to move forward and find ourselves distracted by someone or something.

1 Corinthians 9:24 –

 "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it."

Many of us do not like to even go to the gym because we get distracted by that woman with the matching shoes and outfit or the all too perfect body on Little Miss Blondie. 
And for us runners we can really trip over our training when we look at that person to our right or left out running us.
What is our Deal? Why do we get so Distracted and find ourselves wallowing in the Land of Discouragement?
Here are 5 Simple Rules to Running Your Own Race!

1. Focus On your Race-  Keep your eyes in your own lane. If I am not careful I will look at others when running and also in life. I will compare myself to them and their gifts and talents. When I look at others I can feel discouraged or defeated before I even start. My success is different than others. We all have our own ingredients that we are made up of, truly successful people don’t keep their eyes on everyone else’s progress. They keep their eyes in their own lane.
   If you measure your success relative to how everyone else is doing you’ll probably end up far below your potential. 
2.  Keep your Head in the Game- Running a race is not just a test of physical strength and endurance it is very strategic. So is life. We can not go through life letting our emotions steer us. How many times do we hear someone say, "Follow your Heart"?  My Heart is what leads to me goals and desires but it is not what is going to fulfill these. You have to have a plan of action. Knowledge, discernment, and instruction is vital. And it is equally important to not just know it BUT follow it. There was a man that I was listening to in Boston that said he wanted to run a 3:20 marathon. He knew the course very well and was physically prepared to do so. He also knew how much strategy was involved to pull this off. He finished in 3:45! He did not follow the advice of those who had ran it. He did not listen to what he KNEW. He got caught up in the emotion of the race. Let your heart produce goals but use your Head to direct you. Our heart is where passion is birthed and if not careful can sink your ship.
3.  You are known by the company you keep- I Share this with my boys all the time.  If you want to achieve greatness surround yourself around those that are great. But if you keep company with those who do not have the same ambition or drive as you, you are going to be weighed down. Good fellowship and company is vital to a victorious life. I am encompassed around people that love and support me. That pick me up when I am down and encourage and motivate me to be a better me. They graciously counsel me knowing that I will receive their advice as love. Having a teachable heart is a key to being surrounded by people that have more to offer than you may have to share.
4. You can not pace everyone in- Many of us want to help and encourage others. It feels good to be wanted or needed. We can do this for a while but if not managed it can slow your pace down and hinder you from your own task.There are people in our lives we love dearly and want so badly to help and encourage. We can still love them and encourage them from a different angle. But ultimately they have to run their own race. You can not do it for them. You can be there for them but we have to have balance and boundaries.
5. If you do not Win every race you are still a Winner- I have done many races. I have never gotten a 1st Place Overall Medal. But after every race I feel like a Champion. I know that I have given my all, that I never quit, and that I did the best I could. This Trophy does not have to stand on a dresser or hang from your neck. The trophy is in YOU. It is knowing that you did Your race with Integrity, Hard Work, Perseverance and Strength. That you encouraged someone along the way as you would want, that you were not just a consumer but a supplier as well. It is not how fast you reach the finish but how well you do getting there.

Do you get Distracted Easy? What areas do you find yourself Distracted? Do you let your Heart Lead you and not your head? If so How?

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Check out the other 15 Bloggers in this series!!

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RUNDOWN:
Distance: 3 miles Easy. Ran with "Paula". My training required me to run easy so I was really enjoying having "Paula" run sprints! I had her sweating for me!
I volunteer for my son's X country team. I ran a couple miles with the kids. Absolutely in Hog Heaven running with my boys and not having them embarrassed of their mom!

CONTEST: At the end of the 5 Day Series if you have commented on the questions on all 5 days I will send out a care package that will be related to health and fitness.

RULES:

You HAVE to be a subscriber to the blog.

You have to answer or comment on the post. 

At the end I will contact you to receive your address.

IF by chance there are more than 5 participants I will Draw 3 names.

The Little Engine who COULD!

 Today we are training our Mind. Training ourselves to Persevere. To Not Give up no matter what the load we are carrying.

"I think I can, I think I can..." The famous words of "The Little Engine Who Could". This is a story that many of us shared with our parents as children. A story of Motivation and Determination.

As a runner this story of the little engine has become part of my framework. I have never thought of myself as a big powerful fright train..More like a little engine.

I have always been the under dog or the side kick. 

I chose running or running chose me as a way to escape. A way to cope and deal with my baggage..or like the little engine my cargo.

Many of us have cargo that we are carrying around.
My cargo that I was lugging was not like The Little Engine. It did not contain toys or a bed of goodies.
The freight that I was hauling included past failures, disappointments, hurts and hardships I had been carrying from a child all the way to an adult. My cargo contained not just my baggage from a child but also from a daughter, a wife and a mother. 

As a child of an alcoholic I had many haunting memories and mistakes.
As a wife I carried that load into our marriage.
As a mother I found myself duplicating the mistakes my mother had made.

I learned to run. I found great solace in running. I felt God embracing me in my surroundings.
I heard God calling me in my quiet place. Whispering to me to keep going.

"I think I can I think I can..."
One mile at a time I continued to increase my distance. With my miles accumulating I felt more and more free. My load was getting lighter...Or maybe my load was transforming.

The load I carried was burdensome and the more I sought God for Strength and Encouragement the more I noticed I started carrying a cargo of Love, Forgiveness and Gratitude.

God started putting goals in my heart. He began to push me farther than I ever thought I could go.
God believed in me...just a little engine.

In 2010 after a long 3 hour run..for no reason but to just run, God whispered in my ear to run a Marathon and try and qualify for Boston.

This was ludicrous. I had never ran a marathon. I was not trained or equipped. I was just a pipsqueak.
I prayed about it and decide I was going to go for it. I ran Chicago Marathon in 2010.
And almost unheard of I qualified for BOSTON.

He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength. Isaiah 40:28

 "I knew I could, I knew I could." Said the "Little Engine".

Many of us are carry cargo that is burdensome and discouraging. The load is too much for us to Persevere forward with out wanting to quit.
One step at a time we seek God and his power and his strength he will remove the load we think we should carry and he will supply us with the load that will lead us to success and a victorious life.
May I encourage you to not give up. Keep pushing forward listening for Gods direction in your life.

1. What Burden are you Carrying?
2. Are you feeling overwhelmed in a area and want to quit?

Just Remember the "Little Engine Who COULD."
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Please Check out the other 15 Bloggers in our Series "5 Days of Intentional Living".

 CONTEST: At the end of the 5 Day Series if you have commented on the questions on all 5 days I will send out a care package that will be related to health and fitness.

RULES:

You HAVE to be a subscriber to the blog.

You have to answer or comment on the post. 

At the end I will contact you to receive your address.

IF by chance there are more than 5 participants I will Draw 3 names. 

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 Rundown
Miles: 3 Easy, The Mothership (GAC Track)
Great Run with "Paula".

Anita

"Batteries Low"

Today was my last long run before Boston. 12 miles LSD. (Long Slow Distance)

I had that little voice in the back of my head saying "DON'T RUN, it's gloomy, it's windy.."
And the stronger of the voices came back with "SHUT UP AND RUN!"

I headed out the door about 4:45. This was really late for a 12 mile run for me. But what else do you have to do on a Sunday afternoon? RUN.

"Batteries Low" came across my Garmin at mile 3. As I did the math in my head I came to the conclusion that most likely my watch was going to die before I finished.
Bummed out I quickly realigned my thinking and calculated a 12 mile route that I know from memory. There was a slim chance my Garmin was going to still have juice for another 9 miles..over a hour of running but I was more prepared with a plan.
However, the purpose of this run was not about speed or sweat it was just to get some easy miles in to keep things loose.
As I finished my run of almost 2 hours my watch still was working.

Running and Life Collide:

 Psalm 73:26
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Don't we all have days when we see "Batteries Low"?
Days when we have to recalculate our day or our agenda...
Moments when we have to realign our thinking..

Sometimes our batteries do run low and we seek anything we can to give us strength. We seek that cup of coffee with the extra shot of espresso, or that good friend that always picks us up or even our favorite tunes on the radio.  But nothing works. Nothing seems to supply the energy and stamina we need. 

We RUN on empty. We wait for our batteries to run dead. But with Christ they NEVER do. 
I knew that regardless of what my Garmin did God was still supplying me with the strength that I needed to finish my RUN. Sometimes in life we have to redefine our routes and relocate our strength. When we rely on our tools and ourselves our batteries will die. But when we Seek Him for our STRENGTH our Batteries never DIE. 

RUNDOWN:
Distance: 12.11
Pace: 8:53
Time: 1:48

Anita

INTRO: Training our Mind and Body

A few weeks ago some Facebook friends of mine asked me to join a group of

 woman that are going to be blogging about Intentional Living. These woman are "Bloggers". Even though I have a blog that does not mean I am any good at it.  I love writing about my passions but I am not even a great writer. 

After some thought and prayer I decided I would accept the invitation. I would write about my passions. In so many ways Running is greatest metaphor for living life. Running has all the components to life, Perseverance, Commitment, Heartache, Pain and Victory amongst just a few. I will take the next 5 days and share how we can train not just our Body but also our Mind. 

I will also have a GIVE AWAY at the end of the 5 days. The reader that has read ALL 5 and follows the contest rules (at the bottom of this post) on the Friday will get a Healthy Giveaway and gift from Boston in the mail from me!

The 5 topics I will be writing on:

1. The Little Engine who COULD
2. Rules to Running your Own Race
3. Running Down Your Thoughts
4. Running From Ourselves
5. Training Program

Here Is the List of the Other Bloggers and their Topics. I hope you Enjoy!

Intentional Living Bloggers & Topics

Intentional By Grace – “Filling Up Your Life & Not Just Your Schedule”
Christian Mommy Blogger – “Intentional Blogging”
Intentional Homeschool – “Intentional Training”
KaysePratt.com – “Embracing Rest”
Live Called - “Making Your Home a Haven”
Triple Braided Kids – “Cherishing Your Baby’s Development”
Gospel Homemaking – “Intentional Attitudes”
Season The Day – “Parenting with a Purpose”
Grace Everyday – “Empowered by Grace”
Creating Naturally – “Preserving Family Memories”
Running Against the Odds – “Training our Mind and Body”
Young Wife’s Guide – “Glorifying God in Your Homemaking”
A Biblical Marriage – “A God Centered Marriage”
New Life Steward – “Intentionally Walking With God”
The Purposeful Mom - “A Busy Mom’s Guide to Teaching Character”
Adventure In the Unknown – “Being Content While Single

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CONTEST: At the end of the 5 Day Series if you have commented on the questions on all 5 days I will send out a care package that will be related to health and fitness.

• RULES
• You HAVE to be a subscriber to the blog.
• You have to answer or comment on the post. 
• At the end I will contact you to receive your address.
• IF by chance there are more than 5 participants I will Draw 3 names.

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Anita*

Afraid of Failure...Goal Setting.

11 more days ...
16 weeks of training: 4 months of training...and it all comes down to 1 DAY...
I have been asked several times if I have a Goal for Boston.
I am a big goal setter.
The problem with Goals is that if you verbalize them and do not achieve them you feel like a Royal Loser!
But if you do not set a Goal then you are willy nilly about the event or whatever your circumstance is your wanting to plan out.

So do I set an Easy Goal? One that is achievable but not raising the bar...
Or do I set a Goal that I could work hard at and possibly achieve?
Do I run Boston with smiles, having fun and living the moment?
Or Do I Run this Hard and try to PR? Where the smiles come in the end if you attain your desired race results.
I know what I have trained to run. I know what I am capable of..But am I willing to put in one more day of pain...heartache, sweat and tears?

Here are my Marathon Results:
Chicago Marathon 2010: 3:40:02
Boston Marathon 2011: 3:39:44
Bayshore Marathon 2012: 3:30:52
Detroit Marathon 2012: 3:37:51

"CALL UNTO ME, AND I WILL ANSWER THEE AND SHOW YOU GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS WHICH THOU KNOWEST NOT." JEREMIAH 33:3

This was my Verse I clung to while training for Chicago to qualify for Boston. I have since adopted this verse as my life verse. 

I Believe ALL things Are Possible with HIM. 

I think I should set a GOAL...

What Do you think?? 

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.  ~T.S. Eliot

Rundown:
Double Run
1. GAC Track: Easy 5 miles with 5 strides
2. Husky Roadrunners 3.1 miles : Easy

Anita

Easy Does it.

This is week 15 of my intermediate marathon training. It has EASY written all over it!
My program says this:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 5 Miles EASY with 5 strides
Wednesday: 4 miles EASY
Thursday: REST
Friday: 6 Miles EASY
Saturday: 5 Miles EASY
Sunday: 12 LSD
WEEKLY MILES: 35.2

My training program will be modified a bit with my work schedule but I will still accumulate the same amount of miles and similar runs.
BUT I Am All About "THE EASY"!!!


The hardest thing I did today was NOT my run! It was painting my bannister! And even that was calming and therapeutic.

RUNDOWN:
Distance: 5:05
Pace: 8: 51
Time: 45

Take it easy, be a sport. Just remeber life is short.

Anita