Summer Delights

There is nothing better than a laughing, happy child, and summer time offers so many wonderful opportunities for delighting our nearly two year old. From chasing bubbles, to playing in our pool, to running through sprinkler's and fountains, Leo has found sheer pleasure in the most simple things.

As far as I can tell, Leo is running and enjoying every second of it. In fact, one of his favorite games is to 'race'.

So, what happens between the time when running is a playful childhood 'sport' and the time when somewhere in adulthood running becomes 'work' and not a fun game anymore? I'll admit, there are days when running feels like work and something I do because I know it is good for me and will improve my state of mind. However, very few of us can force ourselves to do something we truly dislike for decades.

Maybe all of us runners find something in running that does remind us a little of the delight we found in racing, chasing, and running through sprinklers. If I have a choice, I'll always run for 'fun'.

Great Runs- now or never

Over the past few days I have enjoyed some pretty wonderful early morning runs. As this is my second pregnancy, I expect to struggle through this first trimester with running. I recall feeling so tired that I would run 5 minutes and then walk, run 10 minutes and then walk for most of my workouts until I reached my second trimester. Well, thanks to Leo, I cannot choose to sleep in (6:30 am) and run later in the day because not only is it too hot for me to enjoy, but I would not put Leo in the stroller and run in the heat we've been experiencing.

So, while it is complicated to be pregnant with a toddler, I'm finding that I am making choices that have actually improved my pregnancy experience so far. It is a good example of how responsibility can improve the quality of life. While I had a lot more 'freedom' when I was pregnant the first time (even working 60+ hours a week), my freedom wasn't all that freeing since I often put things off because I was tired or didn't feel well. I'm tired, and I don't often feel great, but now I know that the opportunity to do something is lost when I put it off. It is now or never...

So, flexibility is great, but too much flexibility can hinder our daily goals and thus our quality of life.

Revisiting Goals

So, I've revised my running goals a number of times over the past few years. I've found that there are plenty of circumstances as a mother that affect one's ability to accomplish personal goals. Rather than abandon goals altogether, I've had to modify them to fit with the needs and schedule of my family. It can be frustrating at times- but I know that I cannot do and be everything at one time. I know there are seasons of life and having babies and young children is a pretty intense period of life for all moms, whatever your work schedule is or isn't.

I'm like any mom (or person) who finds herself struggling with 'satisfaction' or feelings of personal achievement in my daily life. It is an oddly common theme in life- we often find what we dreamed about, longed for, and worked towards to be somehow less fulfilling than we imagined. I think we all long for purpose and significance in our lives and when we find ourselves 'tired' of our tasks it is easy to lose sight of the reason we do them.

I run for a lot of reasons and over the past few years, I've run less for speed than for sanity and fitness. I enjoy training for races and setting time goals and pushing my body to do what it hasn't yet done, but....... I don't live to run. I don't live to for any one thing or accomplishment. I don't live to make money, I don't live to for food, although I really enjoy most food. What I live for is glory. Not my glory, but the glory of a living in honor to God.

That changes my goals and affects the choices I make. Because my primary purpose is not 'Meredith's personal happiness', but loving God and loving others, I make my goals fit into those parameters. Of course this is 'ideal' - but our ideas- the ones we hold on to- change and shape us and eventually define us.

I guess I am thinking about this because I have recently discovered that we are expecting our second child. We are thrilled- I am thrilled, but I have to change my running goals again- I didn't get to run a 1/2 marathon this summer, I didn't even get to run a short race this year. It was part of my 'plan' as I turn 30 later in 2008.

I enjoyed running through my pregnancy with Leo, and so far, running with this little one has been just fine. In stead of setting speed goals and distance goals, I'm adjusting and running for fitness and fun! Goals are great, but if they don't fit into the big picture.... they need to be changed!