We don't know where he picked it up, but my toddler likes to kick his feet out in front of him and exclaim, "March! March! March!" while he "marches" around the house. It's very amusing.
I have come to think of my running in this way as well, an amusing march.
At 30 ½ weeks pregnant, I have managed to still run- if you want to call it that. Even though I have been in this situation before, (I ran while pregnant with my first child) it always amazes me how easily you forget what something was like once you are removed from the situation.
This pregnancy has been easy, and complication free, and having experienced pregnancy before, I have anticipated the increasing difficulty that would come with running as the months passed. However! Let me say:
Boy, is this hard!
As the weeks have inched by, I have watched my belly grow larger and my times get s l o w e r. This, too, I knew was inevitable. At 5 months, I was sailing along, with not much change in pace or stride. At 5 and a half, I was still sailing, but waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop…
At 5 months and 3 weeks- the shoe dropped (with a mighty thud.) That week my run felt like I weighed a million pounds, and I was carrying an elephant on my chest.
Still, I marched on.
On my run this week, at 30 weeks along, (7 ½ months,) the thought crept in, “Is this actually doing anything?” My pace had slowed another 30 seconds per mile- to a whopping 10 minutes and 30 seconds per mile- obscene in my eyes! I pondered my snail-like pace, my flushed face, and labored breathing.
Then, I reminded myself of what was to come: labor, delivery, 6 weeks of NO activity at all, and then the slow recovery to regain my running pace, and maybe my PR’s. … Suddenly, 10:30 didn’t seem so bad- at least I was moving. I continued my march.
One foot in front of the other- no matter how slow or whether or not I can actually see them- just keep going. Put one foot in front of the other.
To my surprise- I actually went farther than I set out to. I reminded myself that during my first pregnancy, I had to cease running all together at 6 months and take up other, less vigorous forms of exercise. It killed me. I longed to get outside and just RUN! With this remembrance I realized that no matter how slow- every run from this point on was a gift.
A gift to my baby, a gift to me, and a gift to my husband (who happily welcomes the reprieve from raging hormones that comes after a run. Can I blame him?) I had taken that gift and turned it into a chore….
Perspective.
What’s yours?
What’s your perspective on the “gifts” you have been given? At times, we have all taken for granted the things we count dear to our hearts. Much more important than running (or whatever it is you call your “thing”) are our spouses, our children, our family members…our God. Have we taken them for granted? Have we viewed them as burdens? Seen them as another “check” on our “To Do” list? Complained about how difficult it can be to maintain those relationships…wash their laundry, cook them dinner, spend a little quality time?
I am sure that those who lay devastated in the wake of the recent Oklahoma tornadoes would give all they had left of themselves to be able to do those simple “chores” one more time for the loved ones they lost.
A reminder from the Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:9 says, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."
Don't lose heart- March on.
So I remind you, encourage you, admonish you even: Adjust your perspective and March on.
Count your blessings- all of them.
And don’t ever forget what’s really important.
Tonight as I lace up my sneaks, I will be thankful that I can still tie them myself, and I will enjoy every slow, laborious step for the blessing that it truly is. You should do the same...or, in the words of my son, "March, March March!"
I have come to think of my running in this way as well, an amusing march.
At 30 ½ weeks pregnant, I have managed to still run- if you want to call it that. Even though I have been in this situation before, (I ran while pregnant with my first child) it always amazes me how easily you forget what something was like once you are removed from the situation.
This pregnancy has been easy, and complication free, and having experienced pregnancy before, I have anticipated the increasing difficulty that would come with running as the months passed. However! Let me say:
Boy, is this hard!
As the weeks have inched by, I have watched my belly grow larger and my times get s l o w e r. This, too, I knew was inevitable. At 5 months, I was sailing along, with not much change in pace or stride. At 5 and a half, I was still sailing, but waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop…
At 5 months and 3 weeks- the shoe dropped (with a mighty thud.) That week my run felt like I weighed a million pounds, and I was carrying an elephant on my chest.
Still, I marched on.
On my run this week, at 30 weeks along, (7 ½ months,) the thought crept in, “Is this actually doing anything?” My pace had slowed another 30 seconds per mile- to a whopping 10 minutes and 30 seconds per mile- obscene in my eyes! I pondered my snail-like pace, my flushed face, and labored breathing.
Then, I reminded myself of what was to come: labor, delivery, 6 weeks of NO activity at all, and then the slow recovery to regain my running pace, and maybe my PR’s. … Suddenly, 10:30 didn’t seem so bad- at least I was moving. I continued my march.
One foot in front of the other- no matter how slow or whether or not I can actually see them- just keep going. Put one foot in front of the other.
To my surprise- I actually went farther than I set out to. I reminded myself that during my first pregnancy, I had to cease running all together at 6 months and take up other, less vigorous forms of exercise. It killed me. I longed to get outside and just RUN! With this remembrance I realized that no matter how slow- every run from this point on was a gift.
A gift to my baby, a gift to me, and a gift to my husband (who happily welcomes the reprieve from raging hormones that comes after a run. Can I blame him?) I had taken that gift and turned it into a chore….
Perspective.
What’s yours?
What’s your perspective on the “gifts” you have been given? At times, we have all taken for granted the things we count dear to our hearts. Much more important than running (or whatever it is you call your “thing”) are our spouses, our children, our family members…our God. Have we taken them for granted? Have we viewed them as burdens? Seen them as another “check” on our “To Do” list? Complained about how difficult it can be to maintain those relationships…wash their laundry, cook them dinner, spend a little quality time?
I am sure that those who lay devastated in the wake of the recent Oklahoma tornadoes would give all they had left of themselves to be able to do those simple “chores” one more time for the loved ones they lost.
A reminder from the Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:9 says, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."
Don't lose heart- March on.
So I remind you, encourage you, admonish you even: Adjust your perspective and March on.
Count your blessings- all of them.
And don’t ever forget what’s really important.
Tonight as I lace up my sneaks, I will be thankful that I can still tie them myself, and I will enjoy every slow, laborious step for the blessing that it truly is. You should do the same...or, in the words of my son, "March, March March!"