Captured by the glory

I've been meeting a friend for a my early morning, sunrise, runs, so I am often focused on our exchange and perhaps less inclined to consider the morning around me. We do, however, always notice it. That is one of the beautiful joys of running- we engage nature. We are enveloped in the air- damp or dry, heavy or light, hot or cold, breezy or still. We are also graced with light, the brightness of it varying by the time of year or by the clouds. Of course we usually only note the extremes, and just as in life, the comfortable lulls us into a bit of sensory dullness.



This morning was perfect, but slow steps matched that dullness of an unawakened mind and unawakened senses. I had hardly started my watch when I finally looked around and noticed the sky and location of the sun. It was simply captivating. My eyes saw glory and it woke me up. There wasn't much to say at such a sight but to praise the Creator and to wonder at the gift of such beauty. There wasn't much to do, but to match my steps to excitement of the glory and run just a little lighter. I just wish I could have shared the sight with Leo and showed him that the God who made the clouds he was wondering about yesterday... also makes such glory at the very early moments of the day. Sometime soon we'll share such a moment and his senses will be captured as well.

Going Backwards

Leo has just recently become interested in doing things backwards and upside down. While hiking in the Smokey Mountains, he decided he wanted to walk backwards up the hill and now his little potato head and friends all have their faces on, upside down.

So, since the weather took a fall-ish turn this morning, Leo and I headed out for a run with the park as our end goal. Unfortunately, the sun had not risen far enough for his stroller sunshade to protect his eyes. The sunglasses weren't pleasing this toddler either, so....... I turned the stroller around and pulled him (I still ran forwards) backwards. He was delighted.

I smiled to myself as we passed folks along the way who probably didn't understand the reason for this backwards way of 'pushing' a stroller. Sometimes though, doing things backwards is fun and provides a different experience that may not seem important to me or other onlookers. We still moved forward (albeit little more slowly) going backwards. Speed isn't everything, every time.

Football Season.... brings a lot of people together....and moves a few apart

Football Camp began just a few days ago and I am still adjusting. For fans, football camp hardly affects their time nor does it really begin to draw them into the game quite yet. However, not only are the players and coaches in an intense few weeks of training and meetings and practice, but those of us attached to a coach are in a shocking 'training' session as well. All of the sudden, our coaches (husbands and daddies) are gone from early mornings to nearly the middle of the night. Yesterday our only chance for some Daddy time for our toddler was sitting in the back of his office while he watched film and studied with his position players. He was pretty satisfied with a few minutes of racing Daddy up and down the long halls before we left.

No matter what it is, whether it is family time, personal time, or workout time- if it is limited, it either becomes treasured or it is discarded as 'impossible'. As the football season starts, I think it is somewhat of a gift to have this built-in reminder to cherish time and to find ways to keep priorities straight under tight constraints. Little things, little habits, little disciplines in the area of time management add up to big things and big successes.

This morning I had a long list of things to do in about 60 minutes- the time that my 'coach' had at home. I had to choose between running or doing a workout, reading my Bible in quiet, making a hot breakfast for the boys to share together, and a few other things. I simply couldn't do everything. Sometimes, we cannot fit in all of our 'priorities' in one day, and that is the time to revisit how those priorities rank next to each other and choose the most important for that moment.

Today will have to be a 'strength' training day sometime during a lull in Leo's need for attention- perhaps around nap time. It is pretty easy for me to skip this, but I am reminded today... little things add up to big things and choosing to spend at least 20 minutes exercising will give me a boost in energy and give me strength for the next day.

Time, or the lack of it, isn't an excuse... it is an opportunity.

Mountain Roads

Just recently we met up with family for a few days in the mountains. My siblings and their spouses are pretty active, and when we get together, we enjoy hiking and running and any outdoor activity we can manage. We found a lovely cabin situated on a mountainside, surrounded by a whole village of cabins and chalets. Since we were traveling with our toddler and my brother's infant, our adventures were adjusted to meet their needs, not to mention the need for caution during pregnancy.

Running up and down hills like the ones available to us outside the cabin was a challenge. I simply could not run up every hill, and my actual running time was about 1/2 of what it is at home. At first I doubted whether I would be able to run at all, but even with all the walk breaks, I got a great workout and most importantly, really enjoyed the change in terrain and scenery. Running along a mountain road gives any city runner a new challenge, works muscles in different ways, and allows for mental break from the daily routines into which we tend to settle.

Since most of my running is done solo, it was wonderful to share the road with my sister-in-law. We enjoyed examining the many different cabins and chalets along the way, and then there was also the added excitement of bears lurking nearby--she actually spotted one on a run. The largest animal we usually prepare for are dogs that are affected my pepper spray. The boys informed us that the bears would require a little more deterrent than the everyday grade of protection I carry.

So, running on mountain roads can appear extremely intimidating, but the rewards of a different workout are great. Just proceed with great caution. There might be bears lurking around a corner.

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!