Why I'm Running

In high school, my friend Ashley and I were on the track team.  Well, more like "on the track team".  She was a little bit better than I was - she at least competed in a few meets! - but we made our own little secret section of the team and called it the Slack Team.

Each track practice opened with a warm up mile around the school, you could go left or right out of the stadium, nobody cared much, but you had to go all the way around the school to make it to one mile.  Ashley and I would always go left,  jump into her Jeep, turn on the radio, talk about boys or class or college, and wait for the kids who went right.  When enough of them came past, we'd hop out and jog in, with these suckers who just ran a mile!  As I write this I realize we probably didn't fool a single coach, but it was pretty clever to us at the time, on the track team and not running!  

I've been on the Slack Team pretty much since 2003.  So why run now?

1. I don't want to be on the Slack Team forever.  I want to be healthy!  I want to have a strong heart, I want to be able to breathe deeper, and I want to make better choices.

2. I can run for LIVING Ministry  - and you can help!

3. I've thought about how cool runners are for years and wished I could be like them.  It's time to stop wishing and start running.

4. I want to fit into riding boots next fall.  My calves are wide and distance running is one way to get that muscle leaner.  It's not the most compelling of arguments but it's enough reason for me - tan boots here I come!  Woo hoo!  I reached this goal in November!

5. I want to reach a goal, and not just an easy one. I want to challenge myself to do something hard and then do it. 

 13.1 miles here I come!