Caught in the Rain

I was going to go to the gym after class today, but decided that I was going to run instead. It's a bit colder today and had the chance of raining, but it seemed just a light sprinkle if anything. So I ran and let my mind clear for awhile. I stopped for a moment and stretched/walked because my stomach started hurting. Then.....I got caught in the rain. It started pouring. I started running again after walking in this "downpour" and I couldn't help but smile. This is exactly what I needed. Running in the rain is amazing.

Although I wasn't listening to this song it came up in my mind while I ran in the rain: "Caught in the Rain"-October Fall. I've posted a youtube link so you can listen to it.

Don't let the weather or anything else stop you. No matter what.....never stop running.

Runaway Girl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc5wVsqB_dM

Oh and apparently I have impeccable timing, because once I got home, it became nice and sunny. :) So glad I ran when I did.

Clear Night

My first update is about Monday night, when I was lucky enough to go to a Family Home Evening where Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came and spoke to us. It was absolutely amazing and I almost cried because of how effective this was in my life at the time. It was exactly what I needed. I almost skipped FHE too, but I am so grateful that I was led to go. He said a lot of things that related to exactly how I felt and I needed to hear those words, there is no doubt that the Lord wanted me there and that I needed to be there. One thing that really stuck out to be was when Elder Holland said, "Don't run". We all know that's very difficult for me. But his words were too powerful. He continued and these are the quotations I wrote down:

"Never give up, never give in"

"Fight the good fight"

"Don't flee.....battle forward"

"Hang in and hang on"

Basically I need to stop running away from my battles and face them head on. I need to fight, and 'fight the good fight'.

My next update is from Tuesday night when my friend Ben asked me if I wanted to go running. I decided to run with him despite my hurt heel and my slowness (guys are always faster than me). It was good though because I told myself that I didn't want to be slow and didn't want to make a fool of myself. I wasn't going to stop or slow down unless he did. This was a good way to push myself. I tried to keep a fairly good pace that he wouldn't mind. We ran about 3.58 miles, and I felt like we did that pretty quickly. So I learned that it's good to run with guys because they make me a little faster (mostly so I don't embarrass myself). But I also learned that maybe I really can run faster, I just don't push myself as much as I thought.

I haven't been running away from anything in particular. Just the usual life anxieties I guess. There's something big coming up in my life I feel. Graduation yes, but there's something else. I need to make sure that I focus. And when I have to battle, I need to make sure not to flee. Be strong and right. Run toward it, not away from it.

Runaway Girl

Spring Break

I had the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. for Spring Break. I walked around downtown a lot, but on Tuesday of my break I stayed at my Aunt and Uncle's place for the day in Fairfax, VA. My body sort of shut down that day and was exhausted from the previous days, but I finally got up and went for a run around the neighborhood. This was a change from my usual city runs in Boston.

Today I went for my first run back from break (after waking up at 4AM to catch a flight and not resting before I ran). I ran to my roommate's work and back. It was interesting being back to running alongside roads and traffic. I sure did miss the quiet neighborhood of Fairfax.

I had mapped out a short run, and I didn't see/find the pathway that led to the rocky trail I wanted, so I continued on and found Greenbriar park where I stopped awhile to sit on the bleachers by a baseball field and enjoy the moment to think. Then I went back the way I came and found the pathway! I ran on the rocky trail and found beauty all around me.

During my run I wasn't going super fast and I would stop to enjoy the scenery and take photos. I found an area where you could do different workouts, so I made sure to hit each one. There were wooden items for push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, a walking plank thing, and two long bars where you get yourself across using only your arms. I had fun. Then I found a cool bridge where underneath there was some grafitti. The trail was mostly rocky and I even had to cross some water. At one point my shoes got wet, but I didn't mind at all. I actually smiled about it.

I didn't have my actual running shoes over the break, but I had some Nike's that did the job. It was nice to reunite with my running shoes today. I logged about 6 miles. Over break I am not sure how many miles I ran (probably around 3 on the trail run), but I definitely logged a lot of miles walking around D.C.

Today's run as well as the one over break were both well needed. I guess I was running away from what's going on in my life right now. I only have about two more months left in Boston. We'll see where I run off to next.

Runaway Girl

(Here are several photos of where I ran in Fairfax, VA)