Your a "Walking Billboard"

I loved this statement my client "Darren" gave me earlier this week. It really had me thinking all week.......
What do I project?
How do people define me?
What am I advertising??
We will come back to this.....

Double Dose. Sunday and Mondays runs:

Sunday: SNAKE PRANK!

Sunday was my 15 miler. I have no idea where I came up with that number but it stuck. I assumed I would be running this solo due to Andy's back going out in the morning.
"Another long and lonely run..UGH" I whined to myself. However,  Andy started stretching and rolling and decided to try to run with me. He was walking crooked with the look of pain written all over his face. Trying to be encouraging I went along with it.
We took off for our run and didn't get a half a mile when Andy stopped and winced "I can't do it..." But then he kept going, replying  "It'll loosen up." But less then a mile farther he threw in the towel turning back towards home.
I felt bad for Andy and selfishly I felt bad for me.
At mile 2 I heard someone yelling. It wasn't the voices in my head, they usually don't start screaming till about mile 12. I turned around to see saw Andy moving pretty fast down the dirt road trying to catch me.
Andy decided that it was muscular and running was not going to make it worse..so he came along side me.
All the way down the back roads we saw large tvs thrown into the woods. We counted 9 TV's. This helped break up the monotony of our run.
But then the gardner snake did a fine job too! I jumped ten feet in the air , it might as well have been a king cobra! Andy was cracking up laughing at me. We both went over to investigate the slithery creature. It wasn't even startled by our presence. Upon close investigation we discovered it was dead, however, it was in really good condition. I got an idea. PRANK!! I told Andy I was going to carry it home so I picked it up and started running. The reptile dangled lightly from my fingers, bouncing all around as I ran. "Anita. you can not run all the way home carrying that thing." Andy chuckled. Just as I said "Yes, I can." its lower end flipped around and wrapped around my wrist. I jumped another 10 feet and tossed him in the air. I looked at Andy to notice he had quit running and was crying he was laughing so hard. I knew it was dead I just got freaked out. I was bound to bring this critter home. I decided we could fit it in our water bottle pockets. We laughed for over a mile coning up with a plan to trick the boys.
We finished our run. I dropped Andy off and finished my 15 miles. He did 13 with me which was more than I expected, I was so happy. I was struggling from the moment my legs hit the road so his company was instrumental to my completion.
WHAT DID WE DO WITH THE SNAKE????
Well we put him in the pantry and had Austin put the groceries away. He opened the door stopped cold and stared then quickly slammed the door shut. He didn't know what to do. It was so funny!

Labor Day RUN.

So I feel kinda un-American because I am not sure what Labor day exactly is. To me it was laboring 30 miles of running.

I went into this run with a lot of anxiety.
WORDS are very powerful. I have been struggling as of late wondering if I bit off more than I can chew. The night before my run Andy got called into work therefore the boys all made beds in my room. I love this.
Austin started asking questions...
"Mom, 30 miles is a long ways from 50 miles..."
"Mom, how are you going to run 50 miles straight?"
"Mom, you still have like 4 more hours to run after your 5 hours...."
"Austin Please go to sleep." I could feel his words poisoning my spirit. I already find myself in the ring battling fear and now I was getting knocked down by it.
I am very aware of all the numbers, all the scenarios, and now the doubts were sleeping in my bed with me.
They stole my peace. I was restless all night.
I got up easy at 6am. On schedule I headed to the gym to start running by 7.
What if....
I had to start praying. I needed a voice bigger than my own. I needed a miracle. I cried out to God.
I was running around the indoor track at Genesys. I needed the people. I pretended they were all my running partners. I really needed them as I begged my sore legs to move. As I made it to 2 miles then 3 miles I counted all the miles I still had to go. I just wanted to cry.
I prayed more.
I left the gym at 8 miles and headed towards home. "1/3 of the way done Nita" I  encouraged myself on the route towards home.  By the time I got home Andy was pulling out to go back to work. I stopped and spoke to him briefly reciting my mileage "I am half way done." Andy's eyes were bloodshot and tired from a lack of sleep. "Good job hunny, Please be careful."
We both headed in the same direction only I was not moving near as fast.
Somewhere around 20 miles I could hear myself thinking. I could hear something Austin had said, "Mom, you know that most pain if in your head."
So I claimed that asking God for swift legs, for strength and power. I asked God for a miracle. I wanted to finish strong. I wanted to finish encouraged. I wanted to finish.

My legs moved like they were not attached. I felt encouraged by the power in my legs. My thoughts were full of gratitude. Humbled by the distance I praised God.
I thought to myself,
"Who AM I?"
"How Do People SEE me?"
"What billboard as I Advertising?"

Yes, I LOVE running. I am passionate about running. BUT...I hope My CHARACTER defines me and NOT my RUNNING.
I hope people do not just know me from being a runner. I don't mind that as a part of my Identity but I don't want that as ALL of my description.

As a walking Billboard I hope I advertise Christ in me. I hope I advertise my Character not just  abilities. My abilities are only a gift. A God given Gift.  For that matter everything I have is a gift.
And I am ever so grateful.

What Billboard are you advertising????
If you had to advertise yourself what would it say???

Mondays RUNDOWN:
Distance:30.26
Pace:10:28
Time: 5:17
I took a pancake with peanut butter, banana, and a Kind Bar for my run. I enjoy my STINGER chews. They are so good, they taste like fruit chews.
I was so happy I had quite a bit of energy and legs to keep moving. We celebrated as a family MOMs 65th Birthday. I am so blessed to have the greatest mother in law in the world.

Anita