Incomplete Idiot

"I've heard someone say that our problems aren't the problem; it's our solutions that are the problem. That tends to be one thing that goes wrong for me — my solutions." - Anne Lamott

Name:
Location: Georgia, United States

I am currently the Logistics Coordinator for MCYM/Club Beyond Europe (my missions agency is Young Life, just to be confusing). :0) I have traveled to many parts of this world, but I'm not as well-traveled as I would like to be some day. I have had more jobs than I can count, and my list of interests grows everyday. I take seriously Paul's urging to be "all things to all people". Mostly, I am interested in being a friend to all the folks I have been blessed to meet, because I am discovering (slowly) that it is not all about me.

Thursday, December 28, 2006

A Year in the Life

In no particular order, here are some scenes and people from the past year. Some are of new friends here in Georgia from work and church, and some are dear friends from Colorado. Clearly, I need to get out more.











Monday, December 25, 2006

1783


1783, while a good year in the history of America, (We signed the Treaty of Paris, effectively ending the Revolutionary War. I looked it up.) was not a date but my spot in line for finishing the Kiawah Island Half Marathon. Did I mention that I finished it? Well, I did. That was really all I was shooting for, so for anyone who really cares what number I placed can … potentially win the lottery by playing the number 1783.

Since July, I have been anticipating this test of endurance. I have lost roughly 20 pounds, gotten in the best shape of my life fitness-wise, and trained for the distance of a half marathon. Why haven’t I mentioned this before you ask? I have no idea, except to say that I wasn’t entirely sure, even up to the last minute, whether I would be able to complete such a daunting task. My body has taken some pretty hard hits over the things I’ve asked it to do over the years, and while there is little I haven’t been able to do, I wasn’t certain my lungs and muscles wouldn’t stage some kind of coup and resort to more or less painful deterrents for me. As it turns out, I was pretty much pain free, with the exception of the typical aches and pains, throughout the training until I got to the long runs of over eight miles or more. Then, my left knee and hip would start gently complaining, then yelling, then screaming for me to give up and stop this nonsense. But to no avail. I did not give in to my body’s sometimes violent attempts to get me to stop.

Kiawah Island is basically a golf resort in the shape of an island just south of Charleston, SC. It is almost entirely flat. Flat is a good thing when it comes to first time marathon running. Flat is my friend. My asthma was thankful for the flatness as well.

The day of the race finally arrived, along with some of the coldest winter weather this year (that is southern winter weather for you northern and Colorado types). The race began at 8am with 30 degrees and 5 to 10 mile an hour winds. But, the sun came out, and while it never really warmed up, it was a beautiful day. I added a thin, fleece hat, gloves, and running tights to my ensemble and hit the road. The first few miles were cold but good. Somewhere around mile 8 my knee and hip started acting up with their, by now, usual banter. I managed to ignore them. I walked through most water stops, because my multi-tasking ability takes a hit when drowning seems probable. I ended up with more Gatorade on my face than in my mouth, even with the walking. I walked for a total of less than a mile by my calculations. Around mile 10, both my asthma and my hip and knees were less than gently chiding me to pay them some attention. I stopped to make use of my inhaler and walked and stretched a bit to appease the hip and knee crybabies. My friend Veronica, whom I had left around mile 3 (by her request), caught up with me around mile 10 and we ran the rest of the way in close proximity. I think her knee and my knee were attempting to commiserate with each other. Around mile 12, our friend April, who had finished the half in under two hours (go April, we will try not to hate you), came running back into the somewhat thinning pack to find us and encourage us to the finish line. She proved herself to be a spectacular improvement to morale. Veronica and I ran through the finish at the same time hearing our names being called out on the loudspeaker! We finished with a chip time of 2:38:45. I had hoped to come in under two and a half hours, but who am I kidding, I just wanted to finish!

For those of you wondering if a full marathon is in the works, I would just like to remind you that the first person to run that far died. I know that while that is not always the case, it does cause one some pause in considering such an endeavor. So for now, I am satisfied with my achievement and may sign up for another half in the near future. I am continuing to run in the meanwhile… I think next time…I will attempt to raise some cash for a good cause to give the running some real purpose other than boosting my ego and feeding my athletic delusions, so stay tuned..