I Love You Running! You Make Me Happy!

Running is so much more to me than just a form of exercise. So much more than just a way to stay in shape.  
It is my soul food.  
It keeps me happy.  
Makes me feel balanced.  
Helps me to see life in COLOR! 
 A gift indeed!  


And when someone that loves running so truly and deeply finds themselves unable to run or exercise, life tends to take on a grey and dull quality.  Not to mention the mood swings, lack of energy, feeling gross, a decrease in happy feelings and thoughts...life without running and exercise is just not nearly as wonderful for someone that loves it so much. So many of us have been there.  Faced with injury or sickness.  Trying out new forms of exercise in hopes of finding a "temporary replacement". Some of us even start making deals with God that if we can just run again then we won't train so hard but remember to enjoy running for the simple act that it is...just to run! We'll take care of ourselves this time...focus on better form, eat better, ice, stretch and roll...we won't take it for granted!  Then there are some that just can't run anymore due to bad knees or more serious injury, like the doctor I saw the other day. Oh, how his eyes lit up when I mentioned that I just finished a marathon.  You could tell that he shared this love for running.  He didn't have to say a word.  You could see it on his face and hear it in his questions. Hearing him talk made me realize just how important it is to care for our bodies and be wise with "How we Run".

This week has been a weird week for me.  It has been an almost  "forced break".  I believe that my body really did need it because I wasn't doing such a good job at taking a break and "being still".  So it took a double whammy to knock me on my buns!  


PMS+ Kidney infection + drastic drop in exercise + bacon all over my kitchen = one grumpy woman! 

Last night I could take it no longer! I'd done my duty of making bacon for father's day, our house stank of it (still does), I'd rested and took my medication for 5 straight days, and somehow managed to shovel copious amounts of crap down my throat and I was left feeling like a grumpy piece of lard.  So I headed out the door and just ran.  Didn't have a plan in mind...it was just a time to run!  


I felt better within the first two minutes of getting my heart rate up.  I was smiling at strangers, waving to the neighbors, and returning to myself one stride at a time! After a 10.5 mile run at marathon pace I am feeling AMAZING!  Like someone turned the lights on.  Like a blindfold was lifted.  Like I just took the best happy pill that was ever invented.  I missed this feeling! I missed this simple pleasure of running! Running because I LOVE it and NEED it and not because I am training for something and feel like I HAVE TO RUN.  Running because it is just part of ME!  Part of what makes life Sweet. Part of what makes me a better Amanda!


1.  If you're not a "runner", is there something that you do that brings the color to life, turns the lights on, and just makes you feel like a better you when you are doing it?  
2. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.  I've had this book for awhile but have yet to read it.  My husband recently read it and has been incredibly inspired.  I've never seen him so inspired to run. He used to say that he wasn't a runner and would rather stick pencils in his eyes than run a marathon and now he is looking up races for ultra marathons! I'm reading it now so that we can discuss it.  Have you read this book? 
3.  I have a few friends who are just starting to run.  They want to know a good book for beginner runners.  Any suggestions?

Amanda