Running Journal ~ day something and a half

Practice tonight was fun. We met at the UPS track and after a two lap "warm up" ran the stairs for half an hour to train those running the Nike course for the hills the will encounter. How fast you run determined what kind of a work out you got; so since i am in the slower group one person would run up the stairs and down then the next person would go and so on until it was your turn again. This allowed your heart rate to be challenged, but not stressed. The first set my muscles burned at the top stairs, but after my rest period I found it rather easy. So then I started taking the steps two at a time. Well, this inspired our coach to make everyone do that (sorry guys ~ especially those who had to run the steps 2 or 3 times before resting). That was also pretty easy so I decided to try taking two steps on the way down, which worked pretty well until the very end 10 steps that were too narrow to take more than one at a time. Those on my team thought about trying that one, but decided against it for coordination sake. After a few reps of that, I wanted to challenge myself to do two sets of up and down in a row. Oh man! About half way up the second time my legs started BURNING!!!!! I was a bit more cautious on the way down because my muscles were unstable. Suzie (the gal behind me) thought if I did it she should try it, so she did. Then our coach comes over and says "run two laps as a cool down" !!!!!! I'm cool coach, I am sooo cool I'm down right chilly! =0) Needless to say, I got a "nice timing" from Suzie about the double set. Her legs were also feeling like jello after that. How did I know it was going to be our last set???? =0) Oh well. We walked the first lap and then ran about 3/4 of the second one, walking to the finish line to "cool down" from our workout.
I like these Wednesday night practices. We do things I would not think about doing normally. And boy am I THANKFUL that the day did not get as hot as was predicted. It was only about 70 degrees with a cool breeze when I got there. Not too bad for running.
I still can't believe I am halfway to my goal! I feel like I still have so much to learn. Hmm...perhaps another season is in my future??? Only God knows at this point.
My bed calls to me...I will listen and obey. =0)
Good night.

thoughts and thanks

July 20, 2009
After a long and stress-filled morning, and a venting session with my sister (who is doing much better by the way), I sat down on my lunch break to read my Bible and where should I happen to be, but Psalm 145 ~ “I exalt You, my God the King, and praise Your name forever and ever. I will praise You every day; I will honor Your name forever and ever. Yahweh is great and is highly praised; His greatness is unsearchable….” There is a reason why God did not let me read that last night at 1 am as I am struggling to get through 144 without falling completely asleep. I needed it today. Manna from heaven. A reminder that no matter what is going on around me, when I plunge into the deepness and fullness of God there is peace and sanity. I exalt you, oh my God; my King and my redeemer. Thank you Father for the reminder to “turn [my] eyes from looking at what is worthless,” and that there is “life in Your ways” (ps. 119:37). What do I know of HOLY…?
Love you God. =0)
eryn

Your prayers needed...

I have a prayer request for everyone. My sister was thrown (really she jumped) from a horse on Wednesday and the tips of the vertebrae in her lower back are broken off, also her right lung partially collapsed and her right shoulder and hip where she took the most impact are badly bruised. The doctors have managed to mostly open up the lung again with breathing exercises, but it is going to take a while for the vertebrae tips to fuse back together with the main section. Right now her muscles spasm any time she tries to use them because the have nothing to pull against like they normally do (think telephone cables snapping and snaking all over the place ~ probably a bit more dramatic than what actually happens, but you get the picture). Yesterday was not a good day for her because she had a headache most of the day and the medicine they were giving her upset her stomach, so she couldn't keep anything down. It is very hard to throw up when your back muscles are not connected as they should be. Anyway, at shift change a nurse came in and gave her iv morphine. That knocked her right out and relieved her headache for a while. The hospital is planning on sending her home tomorrow or Sunday depending on how well she is progressing. Right now she needs help to get up and move around, so my Mom is hoping that they will keep her until Sunday to give her that much more supervised recovery time. Once my Mom leaves on Tuesday it's just gonna be Gram helping her out and she's probably not strong enough anymore to do much heavy lifting. I ask your specific prayers for God to align those vertebrae quickly and to fuse them back together as new. And that He would completely open up her lung so that no pneumonia sets in (or any other lung problem). The doctor said that she could go back to work in about 2 weeks, but only on light duty (answering phones, etc.). She will probably need extensive PT to get her muscles functioning properly again.
Thanks for praying. The effective prayers of the righteous availeth much (i.e. God listens when His people pray AND He answers their prayers!!!).
Eryn

Photo of the Day

Yes Gloria, these are from your yard. =0)

In the poor house...

So I just found out my car is going to cost me $425 today!!!! Apparently some head valve is leaking into the spark plug cavity so that will need to be replaced and new spark plugs put in. Then it hasn't had a tune up since I bought it and it needs one and the passenger door latch is not holding so that needs to be replaced too (i knew about that one)!! Yikes! Why do cars cost so much??? The eternal question with no answer. Guess there will be no extra nothings this month. That's okay. I have too much stuff anyway. Glad to have it fixed though. It is very disconcerting to be driving and have your whole car shake around you. Good massage. Bad piece of mind. Though I did find myself praying more. Learning to pray about ALL things. So glad He hears them all and cares about everything that matters to me. Love you God.
Okay enough meandering...back to house work.
Ciao!

African thunderstorm

African thunderstorm

Shared via AddThis

Happy Day all.
Here are some of the fireworks photos I got on the 4th.
Enjoy