Anatomy for Runners

I've been reading Anatomy for Runners by Jay Dicharry, MPT, SPS.  The book gives some great details about why we continue to reinjury ourselves during training.  First of all, it is important to understand the right amount of rest is necessary for the healing process, but too much can allow for our muscle fibers to become weakened.  Over training results in injury because we don't allow the body mechanics to allow for healing for the strengthening to occur.  

I hope to share some key points I learn as I read this book and also get trained to become a fitness instructor for Mercy's Health for Life in Ft. Scott.  

Overcome Evil with Good

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV)

It is so easy to get angry and want to "get even."  However, God wants us to "overcome evil with good" as it says in Romans 12:21.  I've wondered why it is so easy to want to strike back at someone who has wronged me in some way.  Why is it human nature to feel this way?  

The true blessings come from when you have decided to serve the "hater" in your life.  It is easy to be loving or giving to someone who treats us with respect.  However, it is difficult to repay evil with good.  I believe we build our treasures in heaven through these actions when we find the strength to overcome the revenge spirit in all of us.  

I thought about this today during my run.  I think God makes us work for our treasures in heaven, but we just don't realize how he is molding us to be like Christ through these actions.  

Week 6 of Marathon Training

Monday - Rest (zumba / weights)

Tuesday - 4 miles

Wednesday - 2 miles

Thursday - 5 miles

Friday -Cross-train

Saturday - LONG RUN 10 miles

Sunday - 3  miles

 

Naaman and the leprosy

In 2 Kings 5: 1-27, Naaman, a great army commander who suffers from leprosy, goes to the prophet Elisha for healing.  Elisha tells him to go to the Jordan River and dunk himself seven times.  It sounds ridiculous, and maybe that was the point, but Naaman went away mad.  At first, he didn't do as Elisha told him, but once he did he was healed.  

How many times has God asked us to do something that seems strange and we ignore the request? How many times do we miss out on the healing or the blessing because of our decision to ignore God's request? 

 The Bible says,  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8 NIV)

I never thought I could run a marathon a few years ago.  However, God sent an encourager into my life, (my husband, Jeff) that told me while training for 5K's that I would be running a marathon within a year.  I thought he was crazy.  However, my heart was created by God to serve the weary and broken spirits on this Earth.  St. Jude Children's Research Hospital became one of those service projects and through the help of many Phi Theta Kappa friends and resources, Jeff and I made this an annual service project.  My desire to run longer miles in honor of those children being treated at St. Jude became more prevalent in my life.  

By May of 2012, I ran my first half-marathon for the tornado victims in Joplin.  In June of 2012, I hit a personal record at the Hospital Hill Half-Marathon.  Then, in Sept. of 2012, I completed my first triathlon at the Olathe Medical Center Women's Triathlon. I ended the 2012 year by running the St. Jude Memphis Marathon my husband told me I could run, with him by my side.  I never felt so emotional like I did during that race.  The inspiration you feel from all the patients and their families are tremendous.  

This year, we won't be able to make the race date, but still running our marathon in honor of St. Jude. We are both committed to raising $500 a piece for the hospital and hoping when we run in Ft. Scott on Nov. 23rd, we have groups who will come out in honor of St. Jude and their life saving mission to cure pediatric terminal diseases.  

If you feel lead to donate, go to our fundraising links and the donation will go directly to St. Jude!  

http://heroes.stjude.org/julianahughes

http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=2229061&pg=personal&fr_id=4820

Digging Ditches

I've been reading in 2 Kings about the prophet Elisha and his great faith he had to serve God.  In chapter 3, it is interesting that the kings of Edom, Israel, and Judah come to Elisha as they go to fight against Moab.  Their war strategies apparently didn't go as planned and their men and animals became dehydrated before they finished their journey to fight.  

Elisha tells them to go dig ditches (in King James Version).  God is able to provide water and rain for these men. However, many times it is our duty to learn from our faith and hard work before the miracle arrives. After they dug the ditches, God filled the ditches with over flowing water to nourish the troops and their animals.  Then, they were able to defeat Moab successfully.  

Can you imagine what those kings thought of Elisha when they asked for water, and he told them to go dig ditches?  However, they did obey and through faith God provided.  What ditch are we supposed to be digging right at this moment so we too can get the nourishment we need to conquer our goal?  

2 Kings 3: 1-27

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24, 25 NIV)

Jeff shared this passage with me today.  Yesterday in church part of this passage was used and I came upon this verse one other time this past week.  Therefore, it has to be God telling me to continue to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ in their walk with Him, the message we give to others about God and the faithfulness many of us are trying to grasp through our times of trials.  

My husband has been a blessing from God in all he has encouraged me to do and live.  I never thought I could have ran solid for more than 3 miles back in 2011, but by 2012 he trained me and encouraged me to run the Joplin Half-Marathon, Hospital Hill Half-Marathon, the Olathe Women's triathlon and the St. Jude Memphis Marathon where he ran side by side the whole 26.2 miles.  

We all should encourage each other in our faith and gifts God has given us to glorify Him.  Too many times, I get caught up in the daily tasks, I wonder, "have I encouraged anyone today?"  

I pray God will strengthen me to be an encourager, not only to Jeff but others.  This week we are on WEEK 5 of the marathon training but our fellow Team TENN-KAN runners are on WEEK 3.  I posted last night on our Facebook group to encourage them in their training and reminded them a small fact about St. Jude Children's Research Hospital so they would remember why they are running and raising funds.  It is quite an encouragement message to me to know I can run for such a worthy cause.  

This is from the TN Region's Honor in Action Academy back in the summer of 2011.  Jeff and I went to encourage the TN members of Phi Theta Kappa to join our fundraising,  volunteering and running efforts in Memphis for the St. Jude's Memphis Marathon.  

Arma Homecoming 5k

Jeff won first in his age group and I won second in mine.