Category Archives: Running

A Vacation in Michigan

Posted on 24 July 2009 | Leave a comment

This next week I am going to be in Michigan with my best friend’s family. Merideth and I are more like sisters than we are friends, so I am sure we will get into at least one fight. With that aside, I am excited because we get to go to Mackinac Island and I have never been there before, so this will be a whole new experience, and I am interested to see how things work without cars. I have heard stories, but I finally get to see it with my own eyes. I will get to run around the lake, so that should be fun, too. I mean, not to mention the swimming, softball, trivial pursuit, cards, and s’mores! Whoo-hoo!

I am supposed to be packing right now, but I think I am going to write here, then couch surf for a minute, then run. I also have to sew some things today. I don’t like packing because it means I have to go away, but it has to be done. Eight days is a long time to be gone. I have never been gone for more than six or (rarely) seven days at stretch, which is enough time to leave Bec struggling with all the pets by herself. I think she likes her alone-time, though, so it is a good trade-off. Pets and alone-time. I suppose when I get back she will have done some home improvement like she usually does.

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Posted in Relationships, Running, Swimming

Left-Over Vegetable and Bean Stew

Posted on 12 July 2009 | 1 comment

Today has been a good day so far. I woke up and walked the dogs a mile and a half with Bec, then I jogged the same mile and a half and only had to stop to walk for about a block! We rode our bikes to church and back, and now I am making bean and vegetable stew out of all the half-bags of beans and the too-old-to-eat-fresh-but-not-old-enough-to-throw-away vegetables.

I like the way my life is changing. I feel healthier, more connected, and grounded. I was talking with a friend, a doctor, who told me that our bodies go through major systemic changes every three years or so. He said that we should pay attention to those changes and follow them. I felt like jogging this morning, so I jogged with my iPod and without my watch telling me to stop and walk or to speed up and run; it felt FABULOUS! I think this may be my body appreciating my willingness to follow its change. Now if I can just get back into the pool…

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Posted in Fat, Food, Running

Prays. Runs. Drinks Cucumber Tea.

Posted on 10 July 2009 | 2 comments

I think about prayer on a regular basis, and mostly I think that it is something I do not do frequently enough. However, this morning I had an insightful conversation with my friend Molly. Molly and I have been getting together for about three years, after meeting through a sweet spiritual moment at Starbucks, to volunteer at the mission once a month and to watch Rob Bell‘s Nooma videos. We don’t watch the videos as frequently as either one of us would like, but when we do, it is always good and thoughtful conversation always follows.

Today we watched “Open,” which is about prayer. In “Open,” Bell seeks to answer the questions we all have about prayer: why does it seem to work sometimes and not others; does God really hear our prayers; why pray if it doesn’t always work; how does prayer effect our lives; and, how is our life impacted by the prayers of others. While I was watching this particular video, two things crossed my mind. First, my friend Kelly can usually sense when I need prayer, and I can usually sense when she is praying for me. Second, Molly and I were just talking about prayer the last time we worked at the mission. Of course, Bell addresses both things, but you will have to watch it yourself to get his take on things.

Frequently, I have some of these same questions/doubts. Does God hear my prayers? What if I pray for the wrong things? Do my prayers really change the God’s plan? Does prayer change me or the world? What if God doesn’t answer the way I want? What if God makes a miraclehappen? Does God still make miracles? How am I the answer to some of my prayers? How can I hear God? Is that God I hear or my own voice in my head? Why pray at all? Yeah, I doubt a lot. But, I do take it to heart when James writes that the prayer of the righteous person is powerful and effective.

I had no idea this video would impact me the way it did. I usually like Noomas, but I find that much of what Bell says are things that I have thought about and already agree with. I would love to just sit down and have a chat with him because we have so many theological ideas in common. With that said, this video hit me more powerfully than most of the others have. I realized that my life is supposed to be one constant prayer, something that I have contemplated prior to today both here and in my daily life. Hearing someone else outline how that works, using Jesus’ prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane, though, really helped me to realize that we are all a part of the same creation. My prayer/life touches your, which touches hers, which touches his, which touches mine, and on and on. We are one in spirit, one in love, and one in prayer. This is why Jesus is finally obedient even unto death: he is part of the long fabric of prayer.

Molly and I then discussed this great article that she read in Runner’s World about a woman who runs marathons. When the writer of the article runs a marathon, she wears a bracelet that lists 26 of her friends or acquaintances who are struggling with something. For each mile she picks one friend on the list, then thinks about/prays for each friend. I think this is fabulous, and I pray as I run, or bike, or swim. I always have; it helps to pass the time, and it helps me to think about various friends and their families. I tend to be a bit more organic in my prayers, allowing my mind to wander from one person to the next, but the bracelet is a great idea. I would probably stay more focused in my prayers instead of trying to solve the minute problems of the day before me.

Speaking of running. I jogged–I jog; I don’t yet run–about two and a half miles today. I am still doing that thing where you run a couple of minutes and then walk, which is kind of annoying but necessary. I envision myself running miles and miles, though, which should be worth something. Once I lose a few pounds, I should be able to step it up and actually run and run for a good distance. That extra girth really holds a person back! My goal is to be able to run the five mile Turkey Trot in Dayton on Thanksgiving. Without walking and at a respectable time. I am signing up for a 5K run in middle September, so we will see if I can add two more miles on by the end of November. It’s sort of a craps-shoot.

Yesterday for an early birthday present my mom bought a new pair of running shoes for me. I walked in them last night and they are a nice fit on my short, wide feet. They are ASICS (Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, which means a sound mind in a sound body). I am my father’s daughter. When he used to run all the time, he swore by Asics. As do I. They are the only shoes that consistently fit my feet. Here are my new shoes, which they now have stopped making:

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This morning after the jog, I tried some of the new tea I bought (I should say my mom bought) at Target yesterday: White Cucumber Tea by Tazo. The tea was interesting. I put a bit of honey in it because I was afraid of the taste, but tomorrow I will just drink it plain. The flavor is like a tea-version of a Mojito. It has lime, lemon, peppermint, cucumber, and white tea. I am sure there are other ingredients, but those are the predominant flavors that come through. And, it is decaf, which is nice. I also had some blueberries, yogurt, and wheat germ after the jog. Stoneyfield Farm makes an excellent organic vanilla yogurt that is perfect with berries of all kinds or bananas, but it is sort of thick, which might gross some people out. This concoction tasted a bit odd with cucumber tea, though.

cucumberwhite

Find this tea. Drink it. Be at peace.

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Posted in Fat, Food, Relationships, Religion, Running

Randomness at the Library

Posted on 7 July 2009 | 6 comments

I am sitting in the library getting increasingly more irritated with the fact that I can’t find the articles I need, so I am taking a break to write. The summer keeps slipping through my fingers at an alarming rate. I grow more anxious about comps everyday. Because I am still working on my assistantship, I feel like I don’t have adequate time to study. I am in a snarky mood today, which results in my being annoyed by things that usually wouldn’t bother me: the girl down the row of computers in the library who won’t stop talking on the phone or go downstairs to get headphones for her computers so that we all don’t have to listen to Brittany Spears, the guy who is sitting across from me who keeps walking back and forth to talk with his child who isn’t sitting next to him which would make things way easier, and the fact that I can smell my feet-stink wafting up from my damn Tevas that always smell so bad. I started the day well, too. I don’t understand it. I walked the dogs, had coffee with a friend, and went for a bike ride. For breakfast I had a banana, strawberries, yogurt, juice, and peppermint tea. How could a day that starts so beautifully render me snarky? Your guess is as good as mine. But it sometimes happens. Yesterday, I ran and walked about six and a half miles. My hips hurt last night, but they are fine today so that isn’t it.

I am listening to Pandora, and Aimee Mann’s “Wise Up” just came on. I have never heard her before, but I can see why my friends keep telling me I would like her. I do. If you create a Indigo Girls station, you will get some pretty good new music suggestions.

Since the last time I wrote, we had a big Fourth of July celebration at our house. We can see the fireworks from our front porch, so it is nice to have people come by and have dinner and then watch the city ofo Muncie spend way too much on explosives. This year—this is ironic because we just closed one fire station and laid off twelve fire-fighters—Muncie almost didn’t have fireworks because there weren’t any available fire trucks to cover the show. In Muncie, if there is no fire truck, there are no fireworks. That would have been just desserts for the mayor in my opinion. I am sure she would have had to do more than carry her gun and have the Star Press write an article about her and her gun. I wonder how many firefighters’ jobs could have been saved with the money used to buy the fireworks.

Now Ani Difranco is singing “School Night” from one of my favorite of her albums, Revelling/Reckoning. I am jealous because my friend Amy got to go see her in Los Angeles. She said it was like a patchouli-hemp sandwich in the auditorium. Of course it was; I am her typical fan. I think all of her fans are slightly granola. Mmm.

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Posted in Feminism, Food, Just for Fun, Running

Two Year Old Parties. Greek Church. Running.

Posted on 29 June 2009 | 2 comments

This weekend was full of excitement and nostalgia. Friday got it off to a bang with a practice test for the comps, workshopping with Sarah and Elizabeth, and a dinner with reading at Kellie’s. The vegetarian jambalaya was fantastic!

On Saturday, we went to Izzy’s second birthday party, which was a celebration of all the things she loves: balls, Dora and Diego, rubber-duckies, shoes, and pizza!

We bought her a game that goes with the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. I read the book out loud to some of the people at the party. I know they loved it despite their protests when I started to read it for a second time. We also bought her a million (exaggeration) little rubber toys for the tub. Ducks. Fish. Frogs. They all spit water from their little puckered mouths. And, we got her a football, small enough to fit her hands, but big enough to really throw. She got a bunch of other stuff from other people.

Her presents from my brother and from Alex were the best; they got her pink high-top Chucks and a little, ruffly sun dress, respectively. Who knew boys could shop so well for little girls. I think it may be because both of them secretly want children of their own! They both deserve the best in life, so I know they will find it. I have never met two more amazing single guys! She also got a HUGE rubber-ducky from some other friends. It was pretty sweet except it was a little creepy because it looks like it is staring at you no matter where you point its head. I would still love it if I was Iz.

Back to the party. We ate lots of pizza. I ate mostly cheese pizza. And, we broke a piñata that was shaped like a shoe. Of course, Abs made the best cakes: Dora with a waterfall and mountains, a baseball, rubber-ducky cupcakes, and shoe-shaped cookies. I got a bit of a sugar overload as I over0indulged. Since I haven’t been eating much sugar lately, I think it made me pretty sick, but it was good cake!

*

On Sunday, my family and I went to Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church in Indianapolis. The priest, Fr. Dean, who spoke reminded me of the priest in South Bend when I was little. He was fun, funny, relevant, and poignant. He reminded the Greeks who are founding this parish that they needed to work hard to get it started, but he also reminded them that their work is sanctified. He, like the last priest that spoke, was from Detroit. I can say that if I lived in Detroit, I would have my choice of parishes to attend, not like here in Muncie, where I have to drive to Indy to go to the Orthodox Church.

My uncle asked me if I was ready to be baptized in the Orthodox faith. I didn’t have to think about it. I am ready.

He said, “I would be your god-father,” which is funny coming from an older, completely bald guy who isn’t much taller than I am.

“Of course,” I said, “who else would I ask? Of course, I want you to be my god-father!”

He beamed. To put this in perspective, Reader, I should ask if you have ever seen The Princess Bride. You know the little bald guy, who is friends with Andre the Giant? That is my Uncle George, complete with the lisp. He will be my god-father.

My questions about this are: 1) Do I have to take classes? 2) Do I get to choose my own baptismal name? 3) Do I have to kiss the priest’s hand when I take communion? 4) What are the differences between Orthodox and other theologies? 5) How does this all work? I have so many questions because I don’t want to sign up for something I don’t believe in simply because I am ethnically Greek.

I love the way the Greek church smells. The incense is a pleasing fragrance to the Lord, I am sure. In the small, bare chapel where Holy Apostles has its services, I can transport myself back to the beginning of the Christian centuries and imagine myself worshipping with the early believers. With all of the sacramentalism and ritual, I picture Peter and Paul attempting to meld together their Jewish heritage with this new covenant, and trying to work the Eucharist into their already established Jewish customs.

What results is a seemingly over-the-top representation of Christ to the people, which can, at times, be a little off-putting. However, with the liturgy taking place in such a small, archaic chapel with wooden pews and only two icons in the room, I can imagine how Peter and Paul wrestled with retaining the liturgy and their Jewish customs while transferring their new beliefs to everyday people.

The ceremony which initially seems to be too ornate and ostentatious is, in fact, the way the Word is related through the body of the priest to the body of God’s Church. The priest relates the Christian story in the same way each and every Sunday; the only things that change are the Biblical readings for week, working slowly through the entire Judeo-Christian story. Through the multiple kyrie eleisons and Lord, have mercys, I learn my salvation again and again. Isn’t that the point of church?

*

Today, I got up and walked the dogs, then I continued my new running program. It is going quite well. Hopefully, by the time school starts, I will be ready to run a 5K and not die halfway through. My goal is to run a 5K road race sometime in September or October. I hope to run a mini-marathon by next spring or early summer, then sometime around my next birthday (when I will turn 36), I would like to run a full-length marathon. I hope it happens. I really want to say I ran a marathon before I turn 40. That is really my goal. I hope it happens. I have no unrealistic expectations. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.

*

Now it is 1PM, and I have to study. This week is Early American literature, better than the Renaissance, but not as good as what is coming. I seem to prefer literature after the 1700s, the rest is just background!

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Posted in Food, Grace, Reading, Relationships, Religion, Running, School, Writing