Running Update

So after the nipple issue I decided to take a few days off from running and let my "areas" heal a little bit. We had a great weekend with family in town just kind of hanging out enjoying some nice weather for a change. Monday I got an email from a co-worker about heading out for a run. Gladly I accepted because I love to break up the monotony of running solo and run with a group. Even though most of these people are probably more fit and faster than I am, I went out with them. We started out running a course that I have never done before, but heard about. It's a route that was described as "a little over 5 miles" and "a little hilly." That should mean to mean closer to 1,000 miles and through the mountains. Figuratively speaking of course. So we head out. 50 degrees and beautiful. We start going at a decent pace. Enjoying talking and getting to know each other a little more as not everyone in the group knew each other. So we headed up a street that I had run before, but never at this pace. Let me remind you that I was in a group of people where the person that was leading the group hates to have anyone in front of her and recently placed 2nd in a race where the winner is going to the Olympic trials. Once we got up a pretty good size hill, she says "There are just a couple more small hills and then it is pretty flat after that." Again, I shouldn't have listened. To make a long story short, we hit quite a few significant hills and I was feeling some small pains in my hips and calf. No big deal. We finally finished 50:35 covering 5.6 miles. Not too bad of a pace overall. I got back to my desk, ate my lunch had some coffee and a little bit of Green Tea and thought to myself "Man, I actually feel really good after that run, maybe I'll go out again when I get home." I instantly became really excited. I made sure to get to the van stop extra early (yes, I ride in a van pool to save money and the environment), ran into the house, threw on my gear and took off. I wasn't sure on how much I was going to go but I knew that I wanted to put a few more miles in. About 2 miles in I thought "I can hit 11 today no problem." I kicked up the tunes and 43:31 later I hit another 5 miles. By this time though I had to get home and make supper. My wife and kids would be home soon and "How I Met Your Mother" was on that night. I couldn't believe it. I looked back at my training logs and I haven't done 11 miles since May 2007. Great way to start the 2008 campaign :)

To update you on my shoe drive, we finally finished the one at work and will be beginning one at Church hopefully in a week or so. I couldn't believe how much people showed they really care. About 3 weeks in, we had collected 75 pairs and I thought that we were doing really well. Once our month was officially over we collected over 300 pairs to ship. WOW!!!!! It was freaking amazing. I couldn't believe it. God is really working through me right now in fantastic ways and I praise Him for that. Below is a picture of the display that we are going to send to One World Running. Anyway. I hope that you are all doing well. I will definitely keep you updated on how things are going. PS - I am thinking about running a 50 mile trail run in the fall, so pray that I will make the right decision and be safe during my training. Stay Strong, Run Long.