Quiet

To my local running friends and my Atlanta running friends: It's time to sign up for the big races of the year! Go Commando in Clarksville, TN and The Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta.
If you aren't a runner, sign up to volunteer. There is nothing like cheering on runners and getting caught up in the excitement of race day!

Go Commando is a Half Marathon and 5K on October 21, 2017. There is also a shadow run where soldiers in Afghanistan will run a course at the same time as the one in Clarksville. Sign up now for the best prices!

The Peachtree Road Race is a 10K held on July 4, 2017 with 60,000 runners through downtown Atlanta. The lottery to enter is held March 15th-22nd. Don't forget to sign up!

My personal running journey is going very slowly right now. I have signed up for The Girls on the Run 5K, May 6, 2017 in Nashville. I'm confident I will get to the point where I can run 3.1 miles (hopefully by May), but right now it is a struggle to run. Since my body seems to want to take it slow, I'm allowing some space and time to walk, sit, and take in everything around me. I don't mind pushing myself, but right now I'm trying to listen to my body and let it tell me what it needs. On that note, let me tell you a little more about myself...

I have a quiet, reserved personality. I don't react quickly. I enjoy being alone.

Clarksville Greenway

I haven't always been this way. When I was a child I would make friends at the grocery store and convince them to come walk around with me. My mom would have to return children back to their parents. My mom always told me that I sang before I learned to talk. My first words were singing, "Jesus Loves Me." Once I started singing, I didn't stop. I wanted my life to be a musical where it could be perfectly natural to break into song at any given point. My brothers gave me the nickname "walkie, talkie" and we had a rule at our house of, "no singing at the dinner table." I was the only one who had trouble following this rule.

Dunbar Cave

Somewhere along my childhood I became an introvert. I didn't even realize this about myself until a friend in high school pointed out that I was a quiet person. I was completely offended and decided I would make an effort to be more outgoing. I viewed quiet as weakness. I encountered others who did as well. Usually these were complete strangers who took me off guard in actually commenting on how quiet I was. "Watch out for this one, she's quiet.", "You really don't say much, do you?", "Why are you so quiet?" Let me just stop here for a moment and point out how insulting it would be to walk up to a complete stranger and say the reverse, "I was sitting here watching you and noticed that you are an incredibly loud person that never shuts up! Why are you so loud?"

Or maybe someone would take that as a compliment???

Clarksville Marina

Our culture admires having something to say. We don't like silence. I've found myself in a conversation barely listening to the other person because I'm worried about my turn. Especially in a group: "Everyone has said something. You haven't said anything. Think of something to say!"

Why am I worried about talking when I don't have something to say?

Rotary Park

Fortunately, I've learned to embrace my quiet. I don't have a lot to say, but when I do say something I've usually given it some thought. I'm better at listening than talking and that helps me observe the world around me. This is helpful as a Behavior Analyst. It's also a blessing to be slow to react. It takes a lot to work me up or bother me. I have infinite amounts of patience for everyone...except my husband. Sorry Luke!

If you aren't sure if you are an introvert or extrovert you can take this quiz from the Quiet Revolution.

I came across the Quiet Revolution after reading a book by Susan Cain called Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. This book is an excellent explanation of introversion and focuses on the strengths of this personality type. It was encouraging for me to read about the experiences many introverts face such as going out of our way to avoid social situations that terrify us (speaking in groups, making small talk, entering a room full of strangers).

Kirkwood

Running fits in nicely with being an introvert. I love being out on the road or trail, alone with my thoughts. I think things over, plan things out, reflect, listen, and sometimes try not to think about anything at all.

Clarksville Marina

It's not easy to carve out time to slow down and listen to what is going on around us. I've been convinced lately that God wants me to intentionally listen quietly to Him. I want to hear what he has to say to me, not just from his Word, because I do believe he speaks to us that way, but also in a still, small voice that comes from sitting and reflecting. Many times what I hear from God in these moments are things that he has been telling me for days, weeks, or even months and I've been pushing his words aside or trying to avoid them. When I take the time to truly stop and listen, I can't ignore what he has to say any longer.

Liberty Park

A quiet moment of reflection could happen anywhere, but the pictures I've included here are my favorite places in Clarksville to sit for a moment. Take a nice long walk or run and spend time speaking to God, then stop, be still, and listen. 

Moving Down Memory Lane

This week Luke and I brought our daughter down to Valdosta, GA to spend time with my family and celebrate Thanksgiving. It was my mom's favorite holiday and is full of traditions for our family. When you have happy memories to look back on it makes traditions feel important and special. Traditions remind us of those good times together, of family and friends who are no longer with us, and help us feel connected to one another through the special times we have shared. Most of our family traditions involve food. Thanksgiving is an obvious food focused holiday, but we can pretty much make any celebration revolve around food: Chili and guacamole on Super Bowl Sunday, sugar cookies for Christmas, Mexican food for many special occasions, and Krispy Kreme donuts anytime the sign says they're hot! It's a good thing my dad has instilled the tradition of running into our family!

Cooking squash casserole from mom's recipe.

My brother makes whipping up all of our favorite 
Thanksgiving foods look easy!

To work up our appetites we often participate in a Turkey Trot 5K or when we were young we would watch dad run the Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon. This year I wasn't able to run, but Luke joined the Jackson family runners.

Dad, Bryce, Luke, Sydney, Landon, and Parker 2016 Turkey Trot

Dad taught me to run. I started my miles in Clarkston, GA, running through the neighborhood or on the PATH trails in Atlanta. The purpose of those miles culminated in the ultimate annual event of the Peachtree Road Race every July 4th. The Peachtree is one of my favorite family traditions. We watched dad run every year. His first year running it was in 1976. My first year running the Peachtree was in 1994 for the 25th anniversary.

My brother Mark greeting dad at the finish line in 1977.

Ryan, Mollie, and I congratulate dad after he finished the Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon in 1993.

Luke and I celebrate our one month wedding anniversary July 4th 2006.

Showing off our t-shirts after the 2006 Peachtree.

Dad has run countless miles in marathons, 10Ks, and 5Ks. He is still running around Dasher, GA everyday, and after having knee surgery added bicycle riding to his routine. This man is my inspiration and has never made me doubt that I could do anything I put my mind to. I was never a particularly athletic child. I attempted playing various sports, but fell short in my abilities for team sports. Dad never stopped encouraging me to get out and play! I finally found my groove in running and have attempted to follow in dad's footsteps mile after mile. 

Dad at the finish of a triathlon with his best cheerleader.

Joining dad for the BRAG: Bicycle Ride Across Georgia.

Dad took me with him on the final leg of the BRAG: Bicycle Ride Across Georgia in 2003. I never would have thought I could bike 60+ miles in one day, but dad taught me how to ride and motivated me mile after mile to the finish line in St. Marys, GA. In 2012 I was able to join dad for the Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon. No longer just a spectator, I was able to participate in this annual tradition with him.

Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon

Taking Cody for a run in Dasher a few years ago.

Dad walked with me on my first walks after surgery. Hopefully he will join us when we travel to Germany to run my marathon! I'll need my first running partner and coach there to cheer me on. Today he took my brother and Luke out on Luke's first bike ride on the road since his wreck.

First road bike ride since the wreck!

My dad inspires me to keep moving. He taught me the love that is running and the life lessons that go along with it. Just put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. I love the quote below that hangs up in my Physical Therapy office.

Keep moving one day at a time, one step at a time.

Planning to Run

Some people tell me they hate running. Some people hate running but do it anyway. I don't think I could do it if I didn't love it. Running keeps me sane. However, When I'm running I often need to motivate myself to keep going. I strongly believe that your mind can tell you to give up far before your body gives out. I have a lot of tricks to keep my mind motivated during a run, but the best one is to focus on what is right in front of me. If I think about the entire distance I have to run that day and how much further I have to go, my legs start to feel heavy or it suddenly feels way too hot to be outside running. Instead, I focus on the next thing right in front of me. That might be the actual road at my feet. It might be a dog in a yard or a beautiful tree. When I focus on the distance to the next mailbox or telephone pole, it doesn't seem too far. I can easily make it there. 
  
Sometimes I get ahead of myself in life and I need to apply the same lessons I've learned in running to living. In 2012 I completed a half marathon and I immediately started making bigger plans. Unfortunately, the half marathon was the beginning of the end for me. Let me explain...

   

13.1 is the farthest distance I have ever run. After I finished, I wanted to do something I never thought I would do. If I could run a half marathon, I definitely could run a marathon! I always thought running a marathon was a somewhat idiotic and harmful thing to do to your body. If you are interested in why this is true, check out this article from active.com about the risk of injury and amount of recovery time needed when you run further than 20 miles at one time. I was only going to run ONE, so it had to be a good one. Here is the marathon I found: 

Sparkasse 3-Länder-Marathon

 The Sparkasse 3-Lander Marathon is 26.2 miles through three countries: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The picture above is the start line on Lindau island in Germany. The marathon goes around Lake Constance from Germany, through Switzerland, and ending in Bergenz, Austria.

Official 2016 Race Photos from Sparkasse Facebook page

                                  

 

Sounds like a great, beautiful plan to me. I'm excellent at making plans. You might say it is even a matter of pride. I can plan the mess out of something- a trip, a meal, an activity, my life...and I feel more in control that way. If I have a great plan, I have the control. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18. I wasn't prideful in running, I was prideful in making plans for myself.

I told you that finishing a half marathon was the beginning of the end for me. Over the next four years I would struggle with running. I could run some days, but it was just so hard, harder than it should be. Something was wrong. It took time, many doctors, many theories about what was wrong, falling into a deep depression, and feeling a whole lot of pain. It was hard for a reason. In February of this year I had diagnostic laparoscopic surgery and found out I have stage 4 endometriosis.

Brooks PureFlow lightweight running shoes

I have actually learned some lessons in these four years that I hope will stick. God has taught me to let go of my own plans and to trust him with his. He's taught me that I can trust him because he's God and he deserves it. I can also trust him because he loves me. Deeply and unconditionally. I have a goal to run a marathon, but I'm trusting God to lead the way. I don't know what the end looks like, but I know I will make it if I focus on what is right in front of me.

Right now, I'm walking as much as possible. 
In God's time, I'll be running again.