Thankful Thirty #18 (The Body)

I ran a mile today.  I've only done that one other time in my life.  It was 17 years ago and I HATED it way back then.  I'll stop short of saying I hated it as much when I did it today, but I am confident telling you it was not the most fun thing I've done lately.

Why did I decide to do something so unenjoyable on a cold rainy day?  A little while back I agreed to run a 5K with my sisters and then they actually decided it was something we should motivate each other to do.  I'm not sure I expected that, but I definitely don't want to show up there being the slowest one.  So, my "training" starts today.

The truth is I was unbelievably nervous to strike out today.  First, I didn't want my husband to laugh at me.  Of course he wouldn't, but he's run several marathons and has distance running legs and lungs and I could definitely never keep up with him.  And second, I honestly didn't think I could do it.  Even though I love hiking and biking, I've never considered myself athletic.  I mapped the distance in my car and my jaw dropped-it seemed really really far!

Well, I did it...and I didn't die.  My neighbors might have questioned that if they saw me walking home after I finished, but I made it.  My teeth were hurting and my head was so hot it could have been burning, but now I can say that it's done.  And I feel good!

Tonight after all the kids were in bed and the housework was as done as it's going to get for today, the thought popped into my head, "You ran a mile today!"  It brought a smile to my face!  It made me happy.  And it's motivated me to quit being so lazy.  I'm not entirely convinced to go back out tomorrow and try running some more, but there are other ways of exercising that I do enjoy and I'm going to get out to do them...so that I really don't show up for the race with my sisters and watch them smoke me...

I'm grateful for the ability to push myself in the body God gave me.

It's 1:45 in the morning as I push the publish button.  

If I wake up in the morning and realize this post is completely incoherent,

 I completely apologize! :)