"Cast off the Troubles of Your Body"

"So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body."
-Ecclesiastes 9:11

For those of us who worry too much about things that God is in control of...

Yes, you have aches and pains. You worry too much about them. Hasn't God given you a body that is able to heal over time? He has blessed you with His healing power. Be grateful for this body and remember those who are worse off than you. God still allows you to do what you love every day. Honor Him and let His blessings fall down on you. Use this gift of running to bless others. Let it humble you every day. ALWAYS be thankful for this gift. Trust in his healing power. "Cast off the troubles of your body!" Let God stay in control of your healing. Let Him take your anxieties away! Thank you Lord for the wonderful gift of running. Always run with His joy in your heart.

(Flickr)

Thoughts for the Year...

Goals for 2015:

-Let God guide my every step..He must be given all the glory; I cannot love the gift He has given me more than Him (thanks Ryan Hall!)
-Get back into Elite running shape and become stronger than ever before
-Listen to my body..aches, pains, tiredness, irritability, hunger and assess the best options for each day
-Keep balance in my life: new job, church, family, friends, running, etc.
-Inspire as many people as I can through the gifts God has blessed me with
-Keep stress levels down/remember that I don't have to do everything all at once
-Take each day one step at a time and cherish every moment
-Love more: others and myself
-Place God first every single day

P.S.
If you haven't read Running With Joy by Ryan Hall...do. I'm not even finished yet, but I've already learned so much and want to make so many changes in my life.

Have a great start to the new year!

Lolo

Also, I am so excited to be a part of Team Nuun!! I can't wait to get back to tough, sweaty workouts and races and help represent! :) This stuff is amazing!

Sometimes You Need a Break...

Proverbs 23:18

"There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."

I had an amazing 2014. I took trips, spent tons of time with wonderful people, and ran A LOT. I didn't hit all of my goals while racing, but I made many memories and learned a lot through the good and bad times. I hit a mileage high for many weeks during my summer/fall training...85 miles! I managed to still run over 2,000 miles through out the year; even with my spring setback. I had some amazing workouts that I didn't know I was capable of; and some that I struggled to finish. God got me through every good day and every bad day, whether it was during training or just life in general. 

I also learned that sometimes you have to take a step back from training. During my November half marathon, I started to feel some major hip pain. Of course, I finished the race when I probably shouldn't have, and after taking a 5 day break, the pain was still pretty intense when I ran. Finally, I decided to see someone about it and the pain is slowly going away, but manages to pop back up randomly. After praying (A LOT) about healing and continuing to run, I feel like God is telling me my body needs a good rest. God created us to do amazing things with our bodies. I've realized that to keep my body strong and healthy, I have to take better care of it. I know that running is a gift I've been blessed with, but I can't take this gift for granted. I've also been blessed with the ability to take care of myself and make decisions based on my future. I know God has a plan, and I trust Him. He knows what He is doing and I shouldn't worry. This is not the end, it is just time for a new beginning and a fresh start. In the meantime, I will be able to focus on my new job working with students! I am nervous, but once again I know it is not my plan or my will, it is God's will for me. 

I wish everyone a Happy New Year and I hope your new beginnings bring you much happiness! Remember, God has a plan for all of us and we must let Him guide us. God is Good!

New

New Updates coming soon! It's been too long!!

Ultimate Healer

Run Run Run song (YouTube video)

Psalm 71:14 "As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more."

I've recently been on the "comeback train" since my slight injury in February. I have been trying to get over flexor hallucis longus tendonitis. Basically it's just a nuisance dull pain in my foot when I wake up in the morning and after hard or long runs. After seeing a doctor and a specialist, who told me how to relieve this pain, my foot has positively progressed over time. God provided me with the resources to get back out and run every day. He is the ultimate healer and provider of my needs and I know this is His work in me. No runner ever wants to hear the words "take some time off from running," but I have been able to praise God every day through out this process and I know He is making me stronger. My mileage is picking back up and I am able to run workouts and long runs again, which are a few of the things I missed the most! I am so thankful that I am able to train hard and reap the benefits of this amazing gift. Unfortunately, many people are not able to do the things they love, but I pray that they find something that brings joy to their lives. 

I recently heard a song by Michelle Lewis titled "Run, Run, Run." This song was dedicated to the marathoners training for the Boston marathon. Running the Boston Marathon is definitely on my bucket list and my heart goes out to the families/friends who lost loved ones or who were injured at last year's race. Sometimes bad things happen, but we can always have faith and hope to carry us through. These are opportunities to talk to God and praise Him even more. 

Watching the video for this song reignited, yet again, my major passion for running. I can totally relate to running through the heat, blistering cold, snow, ice, rain, wind, etc. to increase my fitness every day. Intense runners are known as "crazy" people, but sometimes you have to be a bit crazy to fulfill a dream. I've still got a long way to go to reach my true potential in running and life, but I have faith I will get there and "I will always have hope" and will praise God more and more throughout the process. 

"God is good, All the time, And all the time, God is good"

(Go see God's Not Dead if you haven't yet!)

Latest Race...

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)

God is always working in my life! I recently returned from my latest race in Boulder, CO. I had an amazing trip and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and company. I was able to travel and race with my best friend, which was truly a gift from God! We raced in the USA XC Championships at the Flatiron's golf course. This is my second year to compete in this race, and I plan to return next year! I love this race because of the atmosphere and amazing talent it brings. I did not do as well as I planned, but I feel like this was a great learning experience for me to have. (this year 39th place; 32:23..last year 54th place; 30:39)
 I knew I had to keep the race conservative from the start because I was racing at altitude, which would present a few challenges. I ran in Pueblo, CO last year for the outdoor track and field national championships in the 3k steeplechase and struggled with the altitude change from Evansville, IN. I was racing at an elevation of about 4,700+ feet. This was my first time running that high up and I felt like I was breathing through a straw the whole race! Naturally, I was a little worried when I found out I would be racing 8k at altitude because of my memories from the last race. Boulder, CO is even higher than Pueblo at around 5,400+ ft, which caused even more worries. I knew how bad my last race was and I did not want to feel that horrible again! I tried not to focus on this fact, so I just trained strong and knew I was stronger going into this race. This gave me the confidence to put my worries aside.
 I started the race very cautious and tried not to go out too fast. After the first 2k loop I still felt strong, so I continued to play it safe until the last 2k loop of my race. I felt my breathing pick up as my pace picked up, but I knew this would've happened even at sea level. I was a little disappointed knowing I still had energy left by the end of the race, which made me realize I should have pushed a little harder each loop. This is why I called this race a "learning experience." I am still learning (and always will be learning) how to perform out on the tracks/ courses of each race. This also reminds me that I am always (and will always be learning) about life. Life presents many challenges and it always will. Learning/ making mistakes is what makes us better people. We can have regrets, but we always have to keep moving forward and remember that God is with us making us stronger. So if life is presenting a challenge, pray about it, move forward, and watch/listen for the answers. I have been thinking recently about my future plans, as far as running goes, and I am very excited to continue striving for new heights that I've never reached before! I'll write more about my new training as I get farther along! Remember, God is always with us and provides our needs!

-LOLO-

 http://photos.denverpost.com/2014/02/15/photos-usa-cross-country-championship-at-the-flatirons-golf-course-in-boulder-february-15-2014/#7
 (I got in the Denver Post pics with Jenny Simpson and Amy Van Alstine the winner!)