VOTE Running Man for TOP 100 RUNNING SITES !

VOTE! This site has been here to inspire and keep myself and all of you motivated in your pursuits in fitness and health for the last couple of years.  Over 100 blog entries!  

Vote for this site!  Go to this link: Running Sites to vote for it to be in the top 100 list!  Once you've clicked on the link, all you have to do is scroll down to where it says "Click Here to Enter" and then scroll down and find "Running Man" and click on it. That will cast your vote.

Thank you for stopping by on your busy day, it means so much to have you reading, for feedback, encouragement and responses!  What a great running community spread all over the world!  

I look around at the places you come from and feel the world is smaller!  From India to France, to Japan and even Africa!  Of course the North American readers are incredibly diverse as well!

Thanks for reading my tiiny thoughts, of my tiny life and tiny pursuits, and letting me in on yours as well!

Now go and vote! YA!

SONGS on the BRAIN

No ipodhas been on my self for a few months now!  WIth winter being too cold to keep my battery functioning for more than half a song, I gave up.  Also, being aware of my surroundings (such as the stalking wildlife around me) has been important in the darker times of the day that I run.

But no matter!  I have the built in ipod in my own little skull.  Seriously.  I am haunted by songs.  Some of them are great. Some not so much.  

A song wil take form with my rhythm of pace.  Da da da dada Doooooooooooooo!  Then it will haunt me.  Trying to shift channels when you are trying to get away from a tune for me is like repeating "dont think of rabbits".  Guess what I imagine?  A ten foot rabbit.

"Uptown girl" by Billy Joel has been haunting me, lately.  Seriously.  Its got this rhythm that I cant stop but to sing it through in my head to the pace of my running!

What songs haunt you? 

Euphoric Long Run

Just got back from my long run.  I ran 18.3 k (11.8 miles) at 1:43:48 (5:40 km pace).  Just a personal note that I have been running shorter distances, and not felt terrific during, but accomplished.  When i get into a longer run, its not until perhaps the 8 or 9th km that I get into my rhythm and feel truly in a groove.  

Just sayin.

Secrets to Sticking With It

Keeping your resolve to be healthy, active and a person of constant improvement can test you in many ways!  Our culture wants the "Secret to Overnight Success!" or "Three Simple Ways To Cheat Your Diet and Still Lose Weight!".  Losing 30 pounds in 3 months is much more appealing to most people than in a year.  When I first started running, it took 5 months to lose a mere 15 pounds!  It was excruciatingly slow!  Having a goal in mind is a good thing, but expecting overnight success is not fair!

I have a few people around me at all times who are attempting the next fad or wave or trend in weight loss, in health inprovement, mostly at the expense of their pocket books and waist lines.  The problem is this:  making weight loss alone  as my goal for me just will not work!  Numbers are an obsession for our culture.  But in reality, to be overall healthy, numbers are just a side effect of overall healthier living, and in much more long term beneficial ways will only change slowly over time.  

The challenge for me in this and perhaps for you who may be starting running, is that my draw for my attention has to become about the enjoyment of change, of taking better care of myself, of resolving through the discomfort of activity into the euphoria of achievement and endorphins!

Here's my recommendation:  ditch the daily weigh - in.  Keep your pocket change.  Put on a pair of runners and run  on  a regular basis, eat good portions and love the investment of health in your life.  Check the numbers occasionally (monthly?) , talk to people who have long-term success in change of health and know your are getting somewhere at your body's own pace.  

Running And Prayer

For those daysI have specific concerns, needs, stress, worries or just need to unload some things in my heart, running becomes that intimate place that I can connect with God.  Im no spiritual wonder kin.  Im just a guy who lives God and who has committed his life to more than just the daily grind,,like  getting my piece of the pie.  Running itself lends itself to working things out physically.   However, it is my prayer life, my walk with God that enhances my running.  He has changed my life so  radically.  That relationship changes everything on my runs; my mind focuses, my heart reaches out and I find God there waiting for me to focus on Him.  

Prayer and running, especially my longer runs, become a rhythm to pace my heart to a different beat.

Yesterday the Father brought some people to mind who need prayer, and some who I need to forgive.  Today this impression was repeated in a sermon from my friend; forgiveness is key to growing, to being free personally and relationally.  I am glad I was able to hear it before today's worship service.

Prayer is not complicated.  We are made to pray, to reach out to our Creator.  We do it whether we mean to or not.  You may want to try it on your next run.  Just being thankful and saying thank you and then asking questions is a great start.  These were some of my first prayers.  Are you out there?  Could you show me?  Thanks for my family, my life! 

The endorphins alone are a great reason to run, but my prayer life just naturally seeps into my meditative exercise regime.