Run! Run like the wind....

Okay, not exactly -- like the wind... but like a spring breeze...

I run.  Have I ever told you that before?  I'm not as consistent as I used to be.

It all started when.... Don't you love stories that start that way?

Mr. Lovey and I had been married about 5 years when we were told by 3 specialists that we would never have children.  There were complications that looked unable to overcome.  Unfortunately, I'd been taking some meds that caused me to gain an enormous amount of weight.  When Lovey and I married, I weighed 103 pounds.  (Of course I was 19 years old)  But after months of medications, I was nearly 150 pounds.  That was a lot for me.  I'm only 5' 4''.

So on January 1, 2000, I got on my treadmill and I ran.  I only made it .30 of a mile, but I was determined to become a runner.  Each day I got on my treadmill after work and I ran.  By the end of the week I was up to a mile.  By May of 2000, I had lost 26 pounds.  After a few more months I was down to 112 pounds.  Then I found out I was pregnant -- I was nearly 4 months pregnant.  It was quite the surprise!

After Kayla was born (via C-section) I was running again after 3 weeks.  I know it sounds crazy... but I was quite a young, naive, and prideful young woman.

When Miss Kayla was 2, we moved to a house in a subdivision with lots of hills... big ones.  And I ran with her in the jogging stroller shouting, "Faster, mommy!  Faster!"  I just considered her my coach.

Then I busted my knee.  The MRI showed the fluid that cushions your knee joint -- was missing.... Don't know where it went... but it wasn't in my knee where it was supposed to be.  The pain was excruciating!

However, that is how I met my dearest friend, Erin, a Physical Therapist.

Now, 10 years later, I don't run races or 1/2 marathons any more.... but I do enjoy a good jog on my treadmill...

My question is, "How may pairs of running shoes does one girl need?"

The answer?  Apparently, the answer is three!

The yellow pair are Adidas... they are specific for arch support.

The purple pair on the far right are Aasics gel, recommended to me by world-renouned runner Ken Combs right after I was diagnosed with the missing fluid situation.  They're very cushy and I can run in them when I can't run in anything else.

The pink pair in the middle are my newest pair.  I've only logged about 15 miles on them so far.  They are Saucony.  They're pretty squishy, too.  I'm liking them a lot!  They might end up replacing the Aasics.

Some people don't like the monotony of the treadmill.  They feel like they're going round and round and round without end...

But I love my treadmill... Call me crazy, but I feel like I'm running from my troubles, and running toward good health.

I can usually hop on my treadmill and run for 3 or 4 miles at a time before the pain gets too much to take... but I'm not often diligent.

Today, though, while at Target, I bought a little inspiration.  I bought four pair of new running pants; two black pair and two gray pair.

I'm only showing you 3 pair because I'm wearing one pair, and right now, I'm a sweaty mess.  I bought two full-lenth pair, and two capri-length pair.

Why you ask?  Because they were on sale, of course.  And because I needed them, Right?!?!

That's right!  Four pair of pants at $1.50 each.  That's $6.00 for four pair... Original price was $6.00 per.

Do you exercise?  What's your favorite thing to do for exercise?  Do you run, jog, cycle, swim?  Do you go to the gym for weight training?  Do you walk in the sunshine?

Whatever you do, I encourage you to take care of yourself.  And by all means, find something you enjoy.

Only By His Grace,

Billie