Mosca Pass

Mountain Run day! After munching on a Lemon Zest Luna Bar, I buckled up and headed out with the class to Mosca Pass for my last mountain run. The task ahead of me: 4 miles up, 4 miles down. The first two miles were pure agony. Sharp switchbacks on a bunch of uneven rocks on the side of a cliff. The next two were rolling in a beautifully wooded meadow. And then finally, another spectacular view at the top followed by 4 miles of flying. Literally took me 39 minutes to get to the top (almost 10 minute pace) and 27 minutes to get down (6:40 pace).It was a great way to end my mountain run adventures. After the journey back to campus, I made a big batch of pumpkin chia seed pancakes with vanilla soy milk and hit the sack. I was beat. I haven't really been sleeping too well because it is so hot here. And with no air conditioning...it's not a pleasant sleeping arrangement..but I manage just fine. After my nap Kels and I headed over to the weight room to lift, grabbed some lunch, and then headed out for an afternoon 4 miler. Another 12 mile day for me. Racking up the miles to 70 this week! What does a day of heavy mileage spell? P-I-Z-Z-A! Pizza with pesto, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach! DELICIOUS! We each had a half of the pie! Bet you can guess what I did with my crust.....give up? I DIPPED IT IN HONEY. I'm telling you, it will change your life. ;) Well tonight the boys are coming over to watch Dazed and Confused, so I better run. Have a terrific Tuesday!

Monday Monday Monday

This morning began with a beautiful 8.5 mile run with Zoila! We just did a quick out and back that both of us love. When I got back, I got straight to work on some crosswords and on a powerpoint slideshow for the camp that I work at in July. By the time I looked back up at the clock it was close to noon. (after about 3 hours) I made a quick lunch and took a power nap before my second run. I had 12 miles today, so about 2:30 I headed out for run #2. It was pretty toasty today, but with a slight breeze that helped out some. When I got back, I got a head start on packing... :( sad day. Im not ready to leave this training, but a month had to go by at some point. Spaghetti squash, chicken, and veggies was on the menu for dinner tonight. Pretty delightfully delicious. Until I go to sleep, I'll probably watch a little bit of the Bachelorette and some good ole Gamecock Baseball. Not to mention, the numerous screens of results, twitters, and chat rooms about the track trials up on my computer. It will probably be a pretty early night for me, considering I have my last mountain run in the morning. Happy Monday peeps.

It's a Scorcher

So, today it's hot. Very hot. With about 8 wildfires roaming around Colorado, the weather has been three times as hot and three times as dry. Despite the heat I still had a pleasant morning run with my new friend Zoila. We did 11 miles together and then I finished up two more to the track to do some drills and strides. 13 mile day baby. Boom. I can't believe that I only have a little over 4 days left here :/. I am excited to see my family and to live in air conditioning but I am so sad to have to leave the trials behind that have been so great for training. If any of you ever get the chance to sign up for something like this....don't hesitate. Sign Up. It is well worth it. Well after my big run, I had some delicious Pumpkin Chia Seed Pancakes and then hit up the weight room. Did a quick weight session, then headed to the store to get a few things to help me get through the week. For the rest of the day, I will most likely just do crosswords, read, and stretch. 13 miles, I feel like it's okay if I am a little bit lazy this afternoon ;). Happy Sunday everyone. Say a prayer for your health, heart, and happiness.

Saturday, Back in Alamosa

So today I woke up, made breakfast, laid out, read an entire book, did abs, ate lunch, and wrote my two page paper for class....all before 12 pm. I wish that I had saved some of the stuff for later on because after that I was so bored! Since I only had to run 3 miles this afternoon I felt as if I had nothing to do. Today really made me realized how much I thrive in my sport and how much I love to run. I was going nuts not getting to feel the dirt trail under my feet or the dry wind through my hair. Sounds lame? Well, I live for it. God has taken this past month in my life to show me that he gave me this gift for a reason. If I take the time to put in the work, and believe in my abilities that I have been given, then I will be invincible. Just wait everyone. Wait to see what is in store for this coming season :).

BOULDER!

Sorry for my lack of blogging over the past few days! I didn't have my computer because I was living one of my dreams of going to BOULDER, COLORADO! Here is how my trip went down...

Wednesday: Early morning 10 miler with the boys before class. Quick class and then we hit the road to Boulder. 4 hours later...we arrived on campus. We took a brief hour campus tour taking pictures and being all touristy. We then went to a famous (and by famous I mean, it was on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives) pizza place called "The Sink." We were all starving from the long drive. I ordered a personal sized pizza. Pesto, italian sausage, artichoke, broccoli pizza on whole wheat honey crust...and the kicker? They bring out a sweet honey to drizzle over your crust. True life...I am now addicted to pizza with honey. Delicious! Next stop...PEARL STREET MALL! The city was buzzing like crazy that night. There was a farmer's market going on, street performers at every turn, vendors shoving free samples down your throats, and not to mention the most beautiful views of the mountains. Naturally, I was not going to pass up the homemade ice cream stand. After sampling everything from Chia Tea flavored to lemon sorbet...I landed on a waffle cone with Cookie Dough and Cake Batter! DELISH! After all the festivities...we still had to find a place to stay. Lucky for me, going with all boys meant that noone wanted to spend money on a hotel...and the trunk was full of sleeping bags and tents. So, the final solution? We drove up to 8500 ft and camped in the middle of the woods on the famous Magnolia Drive (from the book Running with the Buffalos). I was petrified...beyond belief. But I thankfully survived the night.

Thursday: Early morning wake up 6:30 am. We headed down to Boulder Creek to do a 9 mile run. It might have been my favorite run all summer. Winding through the town of Boulder and along the mountain passes of Canyon Creek. Incredible. After a few quick strides and drills, we walked on up to the bagel shop where I got a delicious Whole Wheat Bagel with...wait for it....HONEY drizzled on top.  Told you I was obsessed. Next we went to the Boulder Running Company...as any crazy runner kids would do on a trip up there. Then, we drove to the top of Flagstaff road to pay our respects to Adam Goucher's falled teammate Chris Severy "Sev" (in Running with the Buffalos). Then it was down to the park for a nap under some trees. I needed it. Sleeping on rocks and roots the night before did me in. So, after an hour or so, we got up and ran three more miles. At this point...I was cranky. I had run 12 miles, eaten one bagel and an apple and was disgustingly dirty. So what did I do? I went to the Boulder YMCA and payed $5 for a shower. It was worth every cent. So after we got all cleaned up, we were all starved so we hit up the Walnut Brewery. There I indulged in pecan crusted salmon over lemon rice and fresh vegetables. Woah. We took a quick trip down Pearl again where I had to stop at my new favorite ice cream stand to get some NUTELLA flavored ice cream. Um yes, delish. Then, we boarded up in the car to find a new place to camp. We came across a place called Sugarloaf mountain. We pulled up to the parking lot, got out, and asked a couple where the best flat place to set up camp was. They said, "You have to make it to the top. It is the best view of Colorado." We got so excited..until they told us that it was a mile hike. Yay...I had rainbows on. But I was not about to pass up a view like that. So we grabbed all of our gear and started to climb. Once at the top, I felt like crying. It was the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen. Wanna know the funny part though? There was a sign...NO CAMPING ALLOWED. ALL CARS FOUND AFTER SUNSET WILL BE TOWED AND FINED $300. ouch. Well, needless to say..noone was willing to risk it, so we climbed back down. We got back in the car and made our way back up to Magnolia (our previous campsite), set up camp, and crashed.

Friday: 7 am wake up and off to run. We drove to the Buffalo ranch, which houses the CU home cross country course. It was gorgeous as always but very hot. I was only planning on going 7 miles, but it was too pretty to resist. I went 9. Don't regret it even for a minute. Afterwards we hit up the famous Village Coffee House for pancakes the size of my face. They were absolutely delicious and extremely filling. They put me in a food coma for the 4 hour trip back. Now, I am back in Alamosa. Boulder...will be my home one day.

Pinos Creek

Mountain run day! Today we drove about an hour out to Pinos Creek. It was a beautiful run and the hill was not terrible to be honest. Probably because nothing could be worse than Rock Creek form last week! I only had to run about 6 miles on it this morning though because I have a 3 mile shake out and weights this afternoon. The full trip from this morning was bout 4 hours so we just got back. I'm pretty beat, so I will most definitely be taking a nap in the next few minutes. Tonight should be pretty calm. The boys are coming over to watch game 4 of the NBA finals and we are going to start to plan our weekend excursion to Boulder starting tomorrow! I cannot wait! I have been dreaming of Boulder for years now and in less than 24 hours, I will be on my way! I'll be sure to take lots of pictures.

Taking The Necessary Steps

Today was an early day for me. Up at the crack of 5:30 am to run with Zoila! Ran a beautiful railroad loop of about 7 miles to begin the day. After that I headed over to class. Today we discussed ideal conditions for racing and how to calculate your VO2 max. (For those who don't know, VO2 max if the amount of oxygen that you can inspire in one minute per kg of body weight) Scientific stuff. Anyways, class ended early today so I have had a lot of time to do pretty much nothing. but you know, that's what living like an elite running looks like sometimes. You head out for a run in the morning, fuel up with a good meal, nap, and then get up and do it again in the afternoon. Anything else that I do outside of training wastes my energy for my next run. Aside from the daily core sessions in front of the TV, and weights and drills twice a week, I don't do much to stress my body....well the occasional excursions that we go on out here don't count because I would be crazy not to go enjoy Colorado! Most of my afternoons, like today, involve countless crossword puzzles and reruns of Greys Anatomy or Say Yes to the Dress. That is, if I'm not off sleeping. Recently I have begun my book for the month of June. Running the Edge by Adam Goucher and Tim Cataland. It's fantastic. If you love a good running book, go get it. Run to it. I am about to head to do a quick shake out and some drills followed by a pleasantly freezing ice bath. On the menu tonight? Baked Swai fish (I had never heard of it either) with a side of cous cous and cooked carrots. yum diddly. Probably will try to go to bed early tonight too. We have a big boy mountain run early in the am. Something like 6 miles straight up the hill to start before it ever levels off. Yikes. Can't wait! Go big, keep the fire burning.

South Bend Lake

So yesterday was a spontaneous type of day. I had the day off from running because I had already hit all of my mileage, so the boys and I decided to do a little nature hike. Little is the farthest from what it actually was. We arrived at the beautiful Zapata Falls around 10 am and played in the waterfall for a while. Then we saw a trail head with a sign that said "South Bend Zapata Lake Trail." The map said that it was right around a 4 mile hike, so we though, no big deal. Well, it ended up being 3 and a half hours of treacherous rocks and straight up and down hills. and that was only to GET there. But let me tell you something, once I got to the lake, it was the most beautiful place that I had ever seen in my life...wouldn't you agree?

Never wanted to leave this place, we sat for about an hour just in awe of how spectacular it all was. After a while, we decided to head back for a storm was looming overhead. I got to the lead the way this time. I was a lot slower than the boys on the way up so this was my chance to blaze the trail. We started to give each other a lot more space coming down so that nobody would fall. I started getting a little farther ahead...but they some feeling came over me. Like the kind of feeling where you are invincible. Maybe something like running an ultra trail marathon. Sure you are tired, but with all of the beauty around you and the sense of being alive just captivate you. So then..I started running. I ran the rest of the way back. The ups, downs, rocks, trails, everything were slaves to my feet. I was running because I felt alive. Coming out here has shown me so much about God's reasons for why my career in running has been the way it is. If I never hurt my heel, I would have never been out here. If I didn't keep coming back after every mishap, the picture above would have never been taken. He sure does work in mysterious ways. My life with running, I feel is just beginning.

Today I had a glorious long run with Zoila. We chatted the whole time about passion for running and how each of us got started. I feel like that I love to run, but I have, for so long, not had a strong enough belief in myself. This year is going to turn from the "maybe someday I will" and "I'll try"s to "today I will" and "I will"s. Zoila has helped me so much to uncover the true runner inside me and I'm loving every minute of it.

Lazy Friday

Today was a great day for running. Honestly though..what day isn't in a place like this? Nothing says good morning to your legs like an 8 mile run on the dusty trails of Alamosa. Accompanied..once again..by my new pal Zoila Gomez! Although my body isn't fatigued at all, I have been super sleepy the past two days. I toss and turn quite a bit out here at night and since the sun comes up SOO early I don't really ever sleep in. On the agenda today will most likely consist of laying out, reading, doing crosswords, and running a little shake out this afternoon. Pretty lazy day. Hitting around 60 miles for the week, so I think it's okay to take a little extra downtime :). Grilled tilapia with avocado and stir fry vegetables is on the menu for tonight. Could be a winner. Hope you all are enjoying day one of the weekend. Keep grindin.

In The Presence of Excellence

So today, I got up around 4 am with a "runny nose." Only, it wasn't a runny nose at all...try a gushing bloody nose. Ew. Dry air finally snuck in there and irritated it. Finally, once it subsided I was able to get back to sleep before my 7:45 wake up for a run with the girls. A couple of us met to run around 8 am, but we also had a surprise guest join us. Zoila Gomez! If you don't know of her, here is a brief fact. She was 4th at the 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon! Just off of making the Olympic Team! She is a beast. With college PR's of 15:57 in the 5k and 32:47 in the 10k...and not to mention a 2:32 in the marathon! Woah nelly. Running with her was such a treat. As the miles flew by, she told me stories of racing and training that blew my mind. At her peak of marathon training her easy days are a 75 min run in the morning AND a 50 min run in the afternoon! EASY DAY? All the while, I looked down at my watch to see 60 minutes looking back up at me thinking..dang, this chick will have run 65 more in her easy days...Yikes. Can't wait to do that someday. After the run, Kelsey (my roomate) and I stumbled over to Mellagros for some iced coffee and roamed around Walgreens looking for some funny Father's Day cards to send to our Daddys. Just finished watching Captain American. Um, hello Chris Evans, where have you been all my life? Well, I'm gonna catch a quick snooze outside basking in the sun to prep for an afternoon shake out and drills. Oh yeah, something for you all to try...oatmeal with lemon zest, vanilla extract, and cashew butter. Tastes like cake. Yummy. On the menu tonight? For Kelsey and I...STEAK! Yes mom and dad (if you are reading that is) your little girl is, BY CHOICE, cooking up some good old fashioned iron filled RED meat. Happy Trails ladies and gents.

Hello Deer.

Howdy Yall. Today started off pretty much at the crack of dawn. Got a good 7 mile run in with the boys and casually ran through a herd of 11 deer. The deer here let you get within a foot of them before they even make the slightest movements. So Cool. After the run, I had day two with Coach Vigil! We learned all about iron sources and the importance of iron in our diets at altitude. He also told us multiple stories of his trips to the Olympics, of the athletes he coached, and of the famous people that he has met. such a cool man. After class, I came back and SURPRISE...took a nap. Altitude sure knows how to drain you. I don't have too much going on today. Just a trip to the store for some essentials (aka bananas and cottage cheese), some rummaging in an old antique store in town for family gifts, and a quick drill session with a shake out. It's a gorgeous day here folks so I'm signing off for the day. With love.

Coach Vigil

Today was just an ordinary day. You know, that kind of day when you spend a few hours conversing with one of the most famous coaches in all of distance running in the world. Like I said ordinary. Class this morning was mesmerizing. I mean, listening to man who has coached Ryan Hall, Deena Kastor, Meb Keflezigh, Olympic Teams, National Champions, and so many more for me to even name. Every few minutes I would have to make sure to blink so that he would know that I was alive, instead of just staring mindlessly in awe at him! He talked to us about training at altitude, optimizing your diet to be a champion, and the most important key of all of distance running....belief in yourself. Another cool statistic...he told us that running is the one thing in the entire world that has unified people disregarding race, religion, ethnicity, etc above all others! This class was incredible. I hope that everyone has the chance to hear that man speak. For the rest of the day, I did my shake out, lifted, and got a big care package from my darling mother :). What a treat :). In a few hours, I am heading out for my real run with some friends and then watching GAME 1 of the NBA finals. On the menu tonight? Who knows? Spontaneity at its finest.
Until then...keep the fire burning. (shout out to you Laura Miller)

Rock Creek

If Heaven and Hell had a baby, it would be named Rock Creek. This morning, I had one of the most difficult yet most beautiful runs of my entire life. With only a 7 miler this morning, I thought, surely it can't be too bad. Boy, was I mistaken. Lucky for me the last 6 miles of this mountain are where they entire 2200 ft climb takes place. Battling up steep switchbacks at 11500 ft altitude, my body was hurting. My legs with running on pure adrenaline from all the beauty around me. The run was breathtaking, with a view so stunning it could make you cry on either side. It honestly took me about 70 minutes to run the last 6 miles. That's how steep it was. Yikes. However, the accomplishment that I felt at the top was well worth the struggle. After the 40 min ride back, we were all pretty beat up. So, I made myself a hearty breakfast with scrambled eggs, fresh blueberries, and lemon ricotta pancakes...then took a nap that lasted until about 20 minutes ago. Now, I'm up to do a shake out, to get my legs fresh and ready for tomorrow. Then its chicken, bean, rice, and veggie stir fry, a good movie, and off to bed early for me. Hope you all are having a lovely Monday.

Runner's High

I know it's super early in the day to be writing this entry, but I just couldn't wait to write about my morning! I had an awesome ten miler this morning finishing at 6:45 pace for the last couple miles (at altitude!). My legs feel so fresh and the weather was gorgeous! Post run breakfast? Chia seed pancakes with sliced banana and peanut butter. AMAZING! So now what to do the rest of the day. Well, I may go help some girls paint their house, may go present hunting for the fam, or may just cuddle up with a book in Mellagros and get lost in a cup of coffee and a good read. I just got the book The Help, so I may just have to start on that one. I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday as well!

All of Alamosa..in One Day?

Today was an early morning. We had a beautiful run accompanied with the infamous "fanny pack speakers" to keep up entertained. The weather was rather crisp but nothing a long sleeve dry fit shirt couldn't fix. After the run, we made the new daily trip to Mellagros for some yummy coffee and then headed on down to the weight room to lift a bit. I made it back just in time to enjoy my lunch while watching the finals of the women's 1500m race at NCAA. The majority of the early afternoon hours, for me, were spent lounging on the couch, watching RV, and surfing the internet. In the attempt to get moving somehow, a few of us decided to go to downtown Alamosa for some shopping. Well, we made it all the way through downtown and back in less than 30 min. Small town. On the menu tonight? Pesto, mushroom, spinach, tomato, mozzarella pizza. Yep, it was as good as it sounds. Now I better run! Everyone is coming over to watch TANGLED! Until tomorrow, adios chicos.

Rio.. A No Go

Well, today did go exactly as planned, but hey, not complaining here. After the early morning 8 miler and a trip to Mellagros for some vanilla coffee and steamed soy milk, we all decided to get lost in the local book store. And there is a chance we browsed around a new boutique for some frosting :) (aka jewelry). We were all pretty beat and didn't want to make the trek to wally mart to buy inter tubes so we just decided to soak up some rays in the apartment courtyard. Good thing too, because I was out like a light...which could have ended bad if I was asleep floating down the river. Any who, this afternoon we are all going to meet to do some hurdle drills and core exercises. Have to get it all in before 5:30 so I can watch my main Tiger ALYSSA KULIK dominate the steeplechase at nationals. What's on the menu for tonight you ask? Baked salmon, my dad's famous spiced sweet potatoes, and a side salad. Followed by a hearty dose of Tangled or Snow White and the Huntsmen..depending on whether or not anyone feels like spending money. And then early to bed, because it's going to be an early morning tomorrow as we try to sneak in a run before some of the troops head home for the summer. Until tomorrow. . . keep it classy.

Taco Taco

Today was another gorgeous day in the valley. Began with an 8 am dirt road run with the girls and a quick trip to Monte Vista, Colorado for some shopping! Tried to get on the anti gravity tread mill today...only for the second day in a row...the sucker wouldn't work for me :(. Tomorrow. I'll try again. Any who, I got to run my shake out with the girls instead which was much more pleasant than being in a hot room all alone strapped to a treadmill. After the run, my new friend Essa, invited us all over for TACO NIGHT. This was no plain shell, meat, cheese, lettuce taco...they were toasted corn tortillas, with mexican cheese, homemade tomatillo salsa, guacamole, sausage, chicken, tomato, lettuce, sour cream beauties! Oh yeah, authentic mexican food from good ole Alamosa. Tomorrow is going to be another great day already. My plans are to wake up, run, eat, throw on a bathing suit, grab my inter tube, and FLOAT DOWN THE RIO GRANDE! How sweet ride? Casually floating down the Rio. I hope you all are enjoying these little blurbs of my trip. I'll keep the pictures coming.

Day 3

Day 3: Woah baby were those Sand Dunes incredible. Although I complained and struggled up the 13,000 ft peak, the reward...priceless.

Today was a very chill day. I had class this morning and learned a lot about different paradigms of training, about nutrition at altitude, and about maximizing you training to peak at the desired meet. After class I got to run with the Adams State Girls! We had a beautiful run along the Rio Grand under crystal blue skies. After a quick core sesh and some stretching, I grabbed a bite to end and passed out for a two hour nap. Altitude sure takes it out of you man. For real ha. Well, when I woke up, I was GOING to run a few shake out miles on the Alter-G Treadmill, but the little sucker didn't want to work for me. I will have to wait until tomorrow. eh. Guess I'll live. I mean, I still am in one of the coolest places on earth. Tonights menu? Pasta with grilled chicken, peas, broccoli, garlic, yellow peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, sprinkled with a little parm. Delish? yes sir. After dinner you ask? Two hours of WII FIT AND JUST DANCE. By this end of this trip, I'll be a pro...but until then, I'll be a bit of an amateur. haha

until tomorrow....peace easy

Day 2: Mountain Run

Today was our first mountain run. Coach V took us out to a place called Fort Garland where the view is stunning from the peak..only problem is...you have to run to it. 7 miles of winding dirt roads with hills that will make you want to cry to your mother. but the reward, let me tell you is priceless. Once I reached the top, the air was silent, the mountains were majestic, and nothing else in the world seemed to matter. How incredible that our God created all of this with his hands? woah. I was speechless...and a little breathless from the run :). Also, casually saw a coyote running across the trail! After descending the mountain and getting back to campus, I did a little bit of muscle building in the weight room with my new roommate Sarah! Now, I am taking some downtime with a little lunch and nap before yet another adventure tonight....CAMPING AT THE GREAT SAND DUNES. If you don't know what they are or have never seen them...stop reading now and google it. Mindblowing. Cant wait to update you guys on how that goes!

Alamosa or Bust

Hello everyone! I know that it has been a while since I have blogged. I have made a lot of steps in my life the past few weeks...and have ended up in my dream state of Colorado. Spur of the moment decision to come out to Alamosa to learn about and train at high altitude. I thought that you all would be interested in hearing my journey and I personally want to write it all down anyways to always remember it.

Day 1: This morning, I woke up in utter panic thinking that I was late for my 8 am class (Human Performance at High Altitude with Physiology) because the light was pouring in like it was noon. I jumped up to grab my watch...looking down to see that it was only 5:50 am...Welcome to Colorado. I wasn't too upset about having to wake up so early though, considering I barely slept a wink last night. With a combination of the jet lag, adrenaline, breathing changes, etc...it made for an interesting night. Finally around 8 am, I walked to class with my 3 fellow classmates. There we met Coach Martin (the distance coach here at Adams State) and he dove right into telling us the history of the college, of his coaching career, of the history of high altitude training, and so much other interesting/valuable information ...and it was only the 1st day! We then took a tour of the school and its facilities and got a good feel for the small town of Alamosa. Then two of the guys, and myself went on a 7 mile run on an amazing dirt trail. It went on for miles and miles with nothing short of soft dirt surface and herds of deer lining the sides, and not to mention the view of the snowcapped mountain range throughout the entire run. My breathing and my legs felt honestly pretty good, but I for sure have to slow myself down a lot over the next few months to prevent myself from burning out.

I feel so blessed to be here and can't wait for all of the exciting things to come in the next month. I know that I was born to run.

Light, Live, Love

At FCA last week, we learned about three pillars of living in Christ. Love. Live. Light. In summary, we reviewed many verses that proclaimed God's never ending love for us, directed us on how to live with regards to that love, and guided us under the light of Christ. We learned them in that order. I raised my hand to explain that I, for one, feel like I have been guided the opposite direction of the order of those three words. I think that my journey of faith went like this...

I had to see the light, in order to live in Christ, in order to feel his love for me.

What a great journey it has been though. I, to be honest, have slipped up many times. I am not without my faults. But all of those times, when I feel like I have failed God and destroyed my efforts, God is there the pick me up. Every time. The light never goes away. It never fades to black. It is me that turns my back to it.

At a loss for words to realize that someone loves you so much more than you will ever know, even when you turn away for a second.

Light. Live. LOVE

His Time

I know it's been a while, so here is a quick update.

Turns out, my "heel bruise" was actually a collection of small fractures in my calcaneous bone..yikes. You would think that I would be in a black hole right now wallowing about not being able to run...however, I feel a sense of calm and relief instead. Let me explain. When I say relief, I mean that I am relieved to finally have an answer on what is wrong and by calm I mean that I feel blessed. Blessed from injury?? Yes. The past few weeks, through biking and swimming and lifting, I have gotten so much stronger (well I feel like I have) that I could have hoped for. Not only physically, but mentally as well. I think that with all of the stress that indoor brought me, having this time to myself away from running as helped to clear my mind of negative thoughts regarding the sport and helped me to love running in a whole new way. Yes, I miss it everyday. Everyday. But now is just not my time to shine. I will have my time, God will give me my time when He is ready. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has made everything beautiful in its time." Not in OUR time, or when WE feel like it...but in His time. I am still praying for a speedy recovery...but am enjoying the ride called "life" while on the sidelines.

Song Of Solomon 2

Last night, Song of Solomon 2 was my reading of choice. My favorite part came from lines 15-16:

15: Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. 16: My beloved is mine, and I am his: He feedeth among the lilie 

I have prayed to God these very things over the past two weeks. Prayed for Him to take my foxes (ailments, obstacles) that spoil my path of glorifying His name through running and through all other aspects of life. My life, as well as everyone else's lives, emulates a type of fragility that anything from a broken heart to a failed test can uncover. God makes us fragile like this so that we will pray to Him for help. He makes us want Him, but more importantly, He makes us need Him. God is the lover of each and every one of us. He belongs to us just as we belong to Him. This verse reiterated to me the importance of staying positive and faithful through my heel injury. It helped me to reinforce the blunt fact that God has the power to take these "foxes" away. Even more than that, I know that He hasn't taken them away yet for a reason. Not because He doesn't love me, but because He works according to His watch...not mine. I will continue to pray to Him the Song of Solomon. I hope that if any of you are also struggling with a fox, that you will stay faithful to your prayers to God as well. Happy Praying :)

7 Minutes A Day With God....or MORE

Two weeks ago, at FCA, our leader talked to us about learning to live IN God rather than WITH God. I was really confused by this at first, because to me, they sound the same...Boy was I mistaken. He explained to us that with you are living WITH God, you are basically practicing a religion. You go to church and do thing things expected of Christians, but then continue to live amongst your worldly things. It is only when you choose to live IN God that you truly have a relationship with Him. Living in God requires sacrifice, suffering, pain, and hardship...no one said it was an easy task...in fact God even tells us that in the good book...but He also says that we will be surrounded with love and shelter and that the reward in heaven far outweighs any on earth. After this revelation of truths, he asked us..Which One Are You? Then He challenged us to a task...to spend 7 minutes a day with God. To take just 7 minutes to open scripture, read a passage, reflect on it, and pray. Think 7 minutes sounds like a long time? Think again. I was lucky to make it under 10 minutes. This simple exercise helped me to open up to God more than I believe that I ever have. Every passage that I have read applies to my life. Every prayer that I pray gets deeper and deeper each time. Tears have streamed down my face even in the midst of a great day. God pulls the emotions from my insides and lays them all out on the table. I know that He hears me. I know that He will listen. Sadly, I have been plagued with a heel injury. Long story short, I jumped off the steeple pit and jammed it in. I am used to being injured...you all know that. But this time I'm taking it a different direction. Instead of moping around, restricting my food, and overexercising to stay in shape...instead I am keeping my eyes set on the positive things, getting in more quality work outs over quantity, fueling my body appropriately, but most importantly...utilizing the power of prayer. Now, I can't claim that I do all of these things perfectly ever day. Some times I snap into the reality that I can't run with my team when I take a barefoot step and feel a sharp sting. Some times I break down as I still walk in the unknown about what exactly is wrong with my heel. Some times it just makes me sad, and makes me wants to look up and scream why. It's a battle for sure, but I keep fighting my way back to being positive and understanding of God's plan for me. I will continue to pray, continue to fight, continue to breath easy...and continue my time with God every day...only not limiting it to only 7 minutes.

A New Beginning

I finally felt like today was a good day to begin writing again. I am beginning to find myself again. I started by cleaning my room. Sounds silly I know, but my mom assured me that once I cleared the physical clutter out of my life, then the unseen would follow suit. I did laundry, washed sheets, dusted surfaces, vacuumed my floor, scrubbed my toilet, emptied trash, got rid of old clothes, and I even cleaned the hair from my shower drain (don't think ewww gross, your shower has it too). After three hours of intense cleaning, I sat on my bed and looked in awe at my work, not wanting anything to taint its cleanliness. To my surprise, (well sort of) my mom was right. Once my room was clear, I was able to focus on the unseen, the mental part of my life, my thoughts. I began to hear myself think. I could still hear myself planning all of my next moves. I could hear myself still calculating every mile to the tenth. I could hear myself still relying on Kate. I hadn't really changed at all. To be honest, it made me cry. Tears poured. How could I not see this? I was writing and saying all the right stuff, but why hadn't anything changed? Because...I wasn't truly acting on those words. Just because I said yes ma'am to my mom when she told me to do something doesn't mean i'm honoring God's will to honor my mother and father. Just because I was telling people that a bad workout wasn't going to ruin my day doesn't mean that I was honoring God's will to worship no other idols. Instead of being a true christian, I was acting the part of a "perfect" christian. Let me explain. A "perfect" Christian is one who can fool others into believing that he/she is one by a few words and a name tag saying "Christian" but then lives their life the way that he/she chooses. A true Christian is one who claims the name Christian and lives out life as that exactly. A follower of Christ. I looked back on the past few weeks of blogs and reviewed all of the things that I wrote to yall. Giving up control, not holding grudges, forgiveness, humbleness, etc. Then I looked at the past few weeks of my behavior. I still held grudges, still held control, still judged others, still lived selfishly, etc. What good is my advice to you if I don't follow it myself? No good, that's for sure. These past two weeks have been a really great time for me to work one on one with God. Just like friends at a coffee shop, everyday I just sit down and talk to Him. About life, friends, boys, school, running. Everything. I pray to Him daily for healing, both physical and mental. I am working to build a relationship based on action and words rather than just words. And I am becoming so much more at peace with myself and so much stronger in my walk with God. From now on, I am not going to write this blog as somewhat of an "advice column." Instead I am going to write my conversations with God. Whether it comes in the form of prayers, stories, songs, etc. I am going to write about the areas in my life where I need His help and the actions that I take to improve them. I am going to write what's in my heart that day. It may not be an everyday thing. I don't want to write just for the sake of getting something on paper for the day. I am going to write when God has something He wants me to say to all of you. I know this post seems rather jumbled and confusing, but it's real. God has really helped me to clear my head and to act in His name. I am excited for what is to come. My fire never went out..however, now it burns even brighter.

Humbled

Hello everyone. So first off, I am sorry that I have not written in the past two days. Things did not go well this weekend on an individual level at the competition. I am not broken, but am severely humbled. I understand that I had a terrible race. It happens. If anything, I have learned, throughout the past few weeks, that I cannot dwell on things that I can not change. Also, I want you all to understand my reasoning behind my next statement. I don't think that I will be writing my blog for a week or so. I need to get things straight in my life. I write with passion, things that I want to live by. Things that I want to achieve. Things that will draw me closer to God. But all of these "things" mean nothing unless acted upon. I still make a lot of mistakes when it comes to living the life that God wants for me to live. I am a victim of the flesh. I still judge, contradict, control, etc. I knew that devoting my life to live like Jesus would indeed be hard, but it should not be as hard as I am making it. The problem is, I am trying too hard. Trying so hard to make things right in my life. But isn't that against what I have been saying? I need to stop trying so hard to make a relationship with God. Truth is, it is already made. The problem isn't with the blueprint...its with the actual act of building. I hope you all take my leave of absence from writing for a few days, not as me giving up, but as me working on myself. I need to translate all of those words that I have written into devoted actions to God. God is working through me, I know He is. This is all still a part of His plan. I do, indeed, keep falling...but everytime, God pulls me back up. This time will be no different. I humbly ask for all of your prayers as well. I have come to find that nothing that comes out of the flesh is more powerful than prayer. I will, of course, be praying for all of you as well.

As for yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever....head up, eyes forward, breathe...Pray.

Time to Fly

I know that the past couple of blog posts have been short, but I don't have WIFI in my room and am working around a schedule put in front of me. Today we went to to the track to run, test spikes, and watch fellow teammate Whitney compete in the pentathlon. The smell of competition and the adrenaline rush of  exciting racing to come flooded my body. I cannot wait to show people what God and I can do together. I have prepared so much for tomorrow, and I know that God is going to have me succeed. Thank you for all of those who have been praying for me. I hope that you continue prayer for my competition tomorrow. You all don't understand how much it helps :). To know that others are putting their faith in God to shower onto me. I will always return the favor. As I pray for all of you readers. They will all pool onto my shoulders tomorrow as I toe the line. Eyes forward, head up, breathe. Time to fly.

Boston

After a long bus ride, short flight, run at the track, dinner, and a meeting...I am finally able to get to my computer to write a blog. Too bad there is no wifi in my room, and curfew is in 10 minutes...oops. Feeling ready. Feeling fresh. Feeling happy. Feeling Blessed. Please pray for my team and I as we embark on this journey to a third ACC title :) God is good.

About That Time

The day has finally come. Tomorrow I will get on a plane with fellow teammates and head to Boston, Massachusetts for the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships. God has prepared me for this. He has placed obstacles before me, and helped me over them. He has blessed me with good runs and workouts, running stride for stride beside me. He has placed faith and confidence in my heart, as well as, a burning desire and determination in my eyes. My coach told me today that he has faith in me. But the only way to fully accomplish my goals for the upcoming race is to have 5 times that faith in myself and in God. Those words immediately housed themselves in my head, and show no sign of leaving my mind this week. For this I am glad. My prayers go out to all of those competing this week. May God be with you every step of the way. But most importantly, may you let Him match you stride for stride.

God Is Good

Just got an email confirming that I will be competing in the ACC indoor meet in the 5k. After restless days of awaiting my fate, today, a sigh of relief and an exciting fire consumed my heart. Thank you for giving me this chance to run for your glory and to represent the Clemson Tigers.

CAPTIVATING

Ladies. Do me a favor? Go purchase or check out the book "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge. 

Absolutely Fantastic. I have never embraced being a woman as much as I have turning through the pages of this book. For a brief idea of the power that these pages hold....the beginning of the book talks about God creating the world. How He created light, water, land, animals, and lastly Adam. Only He realized that man shant be alone...therefore God's great crescendo of life on earth...EVE! A woman. A woman was God's final piece of the puzzle. The one thing that made it all fit? Wow. I would go on, but I don't want to rob anyone of the words that each page of this book possesses. The book made me realize something today though. That God wants so badly to show me how much I matter in this life. How much of a difference my gender makes. How much of an impact I have on Him. I am still in total shock and awe about the chapters that I read today. Rereading the words of Genesis that I have heard over and over and over again with a totally new understanding of God and creation. So do yourself a favor and go read this book. And guys, no worries, there is a boy version called "Wild At Heart." 

Training

A lot of my life can be characterized with the word training involved. In school, I am training my mind to think in the terms of a physical therapist. Training it to absorb information about the muscles and nerves of the human body so that I will, one day, be able to aid them. In running, I am training my body to undergo all types of physical and emotional pain so that I will be fearless and in great shape at the starting line of every race.  Training it through means of muscle memory and endurance building to make sure that I am ready for the next day of practice. Training, Training, Training. But there is a much greater training happening in my life right now. God is training me. Training me to depend on Him alone. This training involves a series of tests and obstacles. It thrives on humility and diligence. It requires faith, trust, and love. It is not for the strong...it is for the weak. Threw you a bit on the last one huh? But you see, that is what sets it aside from the rest of the training that we partake in throughout our lives. For it doesn't require us to run numerous track repeats, do multiple pull ups, have legs built up with burning lactic acid, read 17 chapters of anatomy, or take a midterm. Sure it has its obstacles. Sure we are presented with tests. But only this time, there is only one answer to it all. One simple answer...GOD. Pick up your training plan and start now, (if you haven't already). Allow yourself to be weak. Allow God to pick you up. Allow Him to take the reins.

Peace

Today God made me feel peace. I prayed for peace for all of you who read this. That is why I didn't write all day...it was a day for peace.

:)

Light

I know its pretty early, but this particular subject has been on my mind all night long, so I decided to write it while still fresh as could be. Last night, our athlete FCA was led by a new face, the face of the football FCA huddle here at Clemson. Due to their hectic practice schedule, the football team, rarely gets to engage in our FCA on wednesday nights, therefore, they do theirs on Mondays. This new leader, branded words directly into both my heart and mind last night about the light of Christ. The message was about never straying away and stepping out of the light. What is this light He was talking about? The light of Christ. When asked to define light, we came up with; "something to help you see, bright, and casts a shadow." Doesn't that sound a lot like God? 1. Something that helps you to see: God gave us a life with many talents, as well as, adversities. He visibly presents them to you and helps you down the correct path. 2. Something Bright: Acts 26:13 says, "About noon, O King, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, BRIGHTER than the sun, blazing around me and my companions." 3. Something that casts a shadow: God creates a shadow behind Him so that others will be guided to follow. So after all of those powerful words, we were asked this question: Why do you stray away from the light? Think about it. When you pray to God, or when you go to church, or when you sit alone reading your Bible, I am sure that you think you are a definite Christian. What about the other times? What about when you are out drinking with your friends at a party or when you are cursing at an opponent during a competition or game? Are you acting like a Christian then? Our leader told us something about this that will stick with me forever...he said, "A Perfect Christian is one who says he/she is a Christian so that they can be perceived as one." All actions aside, if they say they are followers of Christ then they are. period. Only thats not what being a Christian is. Being a Christian is not about just talking the talk. It is about walking the walk. Walking in the light of Christ. When we walk out of the light to take part in drinking, parties, and misguided behavior, then what is that saying to God? Aren't you basically telling Him that you only choose to follow Him in certain aspects? What is it saying to those that you have told you are a Christian? Are you telling them that being a Christian is just a normal life with the word tattooed on your forehead? Once you say the word, you are exempt of all judgement and rules? I know it's a lot a questions to ask, but they are all focused on the same idea: That to be a Christian, you must walk in the light of Christ. Yeah, we all mess up.  We all stray away from the light at times due to our flesh. But, God is always forgiving and welcomes you back into the light with open arms. But this doesn't mean that you can stray away whenever you feel like it because God will just take you back anyways...in that case, you aren't really much of a true Christian at all. God is the light that guides us through life and into His Kingdom of Heaven. Step into it.

Strength

6 am. That's what time my alarm went off for a workout this morning. Workout= 3k hard in spikes, 400 jog, 800 hard in spikes, 400 jog, 400 hard in spikes, 200 jog, 200 hard in spikes. Ouch. Today God put some strength in me for sure. He helped me make it through my workout with fast times and a motivated heart. Eyes forward, head up, breathe. That mantra has been burned into my brain the past few weeks. I hear it like God is talking to me. And it helps wonders. God has helped me today by providing me with focus and passion. He is helping me to holster all of that strength that I have been praying so hard for. He is listening. I pray that God is doing the same for you. I hope that He is answering your prayers and acting  in your life. I hope that you all are praying without doubt, just as I have started doing. God IS there. I promise you He is. He is taking hold of both my hands. He is helping me to live. He is my strength. Are you letting Him be yours?

Move On.

Lately, I have become very aware of the tendency of others (and myself) of letting a single event dictate the mood for the day. Whether it is getting a bad grade on a test, or realizing that you are single on Valentines day, when someone doesn't go our way, we tend to wear that feeling of discontentment on our sleeves for all to see. What does that solve though? It doesn't make anything better. It doesn't make your problem any less real. Instead, the dwelling makes you bitter, uninviting, and miserable for the rest of the day. Want a simple solution? MOVE PAST IT. Accept the fact that it happened and move on. I have issues with this sometimes, especially in running. Bad races, bad workouts, sore legs all have had their share in ruining my day. But those things aren't what ruin my day..I do that one myself. Because I dwell on them and don't let myself move past them. This is a very important message that God has been teaching me lately. That life has its downs. It has its struggles. It has its obstacles. What is important is how you deal with them. When we let these struggles bring us down, then the Devil smiles. He thrives off our our sorrows and pain. On the other hand, God is that hand extended out to pull you back to your feet. That hand that helps us to move on. I wrote on this topic today, in part, to address all of those who walk around sulking today for their lack of a "valentine." Why let that ruin your day? You already have someone who loves you unconditionally. Just because He isn't here on earth doesn't mean He isn't with you all day today. You still have a valentine. So don't worry, move on, and smile a little....today comes with chocolate :) <3

L.O.V.E

LOVE. A four letter word meaning anything from complicated to unfailing. Our society has wrapped our lives around tomorrow, February 14th, as the day that we show our love for one another. Well, I'm not trying to take away from the holiday that so many people enjoy, but what is Valentines Day really, other than a way to make up for not showing love or an excuse to eat your weight in chocolate truffles? The truth is, we shouldn't rely on this one day every year to show people how much we love them. God doesn't do that. He shows us everyday. Love can not be bought from a flower shop, Hallmark, or even a fancy restaurant. Why? Because love is not a physical object. Love is felt. I would try to describe it, but it would only be my interpretation of it. And I am sure of the fact that every single person on the face of the earth feels it in their own way. Let me tell you something a little bit amazing about love...So, personally, I love my family, friends, running, coffee, ice cream, etc. Some of you reading this may not love some of those things. You might love baseball instead of running, popcorn instead of ice cream, or tea instead of coffee. Some things in our lives may indeed be different, we don't have to love all things the same. Even though we don't have to love all things the same, there is one man who has the type of unconditional love that is the same for every man and woman...that man is God. Isn't that amazing. His love spreads evenly over every single one of us. The same. And the best part? He doesn't need some specified day to show it. He doesn't have to bring a box of chocolates to our doorstep, or buy us a dozen red roses to say I love you. He saves us instead. Saves us from being drowned. Saves us from losing sight of life. I'd call that love...wouldn't you?

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

I mean, come on...that, my friends, is better than any box of chocolates. And if you know me and my overpowering sweet tooth...that is saying a heck of a whole lot.
.

Raindrops

Never underestimate the power of song. Today I had the pleasure of driving my sister back to school in Columbia. I didn't mind the task, party because I was excited about the trip home. Because...today was one of those perfect blue sky, sunshiny days to blast the music and sing all out of tune. I woke up so happy today. With no regrets of yesterday and no fears of today. And all day, I became so aware of music. I heard it the moment I woke up from my alarm clock and have listened to it all day. I bet a lot of you can agree that music soothes the soul. It can conform to any mood that you are in that day and can always, in some way shape or form, relate to what's going on in your life. Well, today, that song came to me on my trip home. I was thinking to myself how much God has done for me in the past few weeks. About how all of the "dirt" that I crawled through from the day that I fell had given rise to so much bliss and faithfulness. That exact moment was when "Blessings" by Laura Story flooded the inside of my car. God put that song on for me, I know He did. The line in that song that made me sure of it was, "What if Your blessings come through raindrops, what if Your healing comes through tears." Wow. Spot on. Perfect. It's the truth though. What if in order to become closer to God and live with Him, we have to go through pain, suffering, and fearful situations? Would you still draw closer to Him, or would you turn away? I decided to draw in, accept defeat, and ask for help. Best decision I have ever made. Honest. I encourage all of you to take that leap of faith too. Accept the tears. Embrace the rain. Because God is shining on the other end.

Fire In My Eyes

Today God helped me get my confidence back. At the start of my race, I felt His hands on my shoulders and knew that He would be with me. I kept my eyes forward and my heart on fire. I ran a personal best time. I still have a long way to go to get my fitness level back up, but it was such a great start. I am thanking God today, not necessarily for the PR, but for the will the fight again. I hope today, you did that somehow too. I hope that everyone out there did something today to move a step closer to sanctification. I hope that all of you reading this tonight, has fire in their eyes..whether its to run faster, work harder, pray deeper, or love stronger.

Race Day

Once again today is Race Day. I woke up feeling fresh and confident today. I know that God is going to use me today to glorify Him and is going to be with me every step of the day. I know this because I prayed without doubt. Last week before my race, I prayed to God about the same things, but in the back of my mind, I housed some doubt. What if I still have a bad race? What if I disappoint everyone? What if God doesn't want me to run anymore? These are the things that make all of my words to you guys null and void. When I pray to God with doubt and don't trust in Him with everything I have, that is just like me going behind all of your backs too and being a hypocrite. Well, thats not going to happen today. Today I will toe the line, eyes forward..head up...hand in hand with God. Below is one of my favorite videos for motivation as well as one of my favorite race-day quotes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7A_QUlMbvY : Distance Running Compilation

"The true purpose of running isn't to win a race, it's to test the limits of the human heart." - Bill Bowerman

Paving the Way

So yesterday, I wrote about how we need to be more responsible with pursuing our "perfect" selves and how we need to let God work in our transformations. Well, yesterday God and I did just that. I was asked to relieve a team mate from the responsibility of being a guest speaker at an elementary school for she had prior commitments. I wasn't really sure what the task entailed, all I knew is that my schedule was wide open. Turns out, I was going to be speaking to an all girls running club! This group of girls meets three times a week after school and runs a little more each time in order to prepare for their first ever 5k. When I arrived at the school, the girls were all seated in the library awaiting my arrival. I was asked to tell my story of running and how I dedicate myself to it everyday, how I practice self control, and how it is honorable. (Self Control and Honor were their words of the month) I can honestly say that I was not expecting a whole lot of feedback from a bunch of elementary school kids about running, for as far as they are concerned, its not very fun. Boy was I wrong. When I was finished, hands shot up all around! Questions about why I started running, what my favorite things to eat before running were, and all other various exercise questions flooded the library. I was amazed. These girls had such energetic hearts and open minds to running. The whole time all I could think was...this is one of the reasons God created me to be a runner. He wants me to use running as a method of communication for encouragement and inspiration for others. I could feel Him in the room. I could see Him in every googly eyed face staring back at me. I could sense His warm hand in mine and could picture Him saying,  "see Kate, look what You and I can do together." I think it goes without saying, but I had a smile on my face and in my heart the whole rest of the day. So take a step in fulfilling your purpose today, and remember what I said yesterday...take hold of God's hand and don't let go.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

Grab On

I loved my Joni and Friends Devotional today. She managed to mold two things that I have been thinking and writing about recently into one beautiful message. The message being, that God wants us to pursue the person that He intended us to be and wants us to allow Him to take care of the transformation. This message perfectly captivates the two problems that I have struggled with of: 1. not knowing how God wants me to live my life and 2. being resistant to giving God total control. God has shown me very clearly how He wants me to pursue my career in running with a full dose of Him. He wants me to use running to display His mercifulness. When I choose to slack off in my talents, or disregard prayer before a race, or selfishly accept all honor from success, I send God the message that His son's blood wasn't really all that special for me. Because I can take care of my self. Well, boy am I sorry for that one God. If I were to sacrifice my only Son for the good of all man kind, I don't think that I would appreciate the cold shoulder either. So today I want to fully exemplify God in my pursuit of the woman He created me to be. But not just today...Everyday. The person that God made you to be is the one that will walk through those golden gates of Heaven. When you reach the bottom of those steps, you should be the perfect you by God's design. As far as giving God control, when you decide to finally be engaged in your own sanctification (in words of Joni), the actions that you perform in getting there will all be done hand in hand with God. So grab on to God's hand today. Walk with Him in pursuing your "perfect" you. He has the blueprint, and you have the goods. Build yourself to be the person He created you to be. Again, take hold of God's hand...and DON'T let go.

The Power of Friendship

Sometimes, all it takes to have a good day is a great friend. From Anna, who got up at the crack of dawn to run three miles with me in the freezing cold, to Cara who kept my head up after a tough, leg burning workout at the track, to Shelby who indulged in frozen yogurt with me just to talk about life, to Sarah who took a break from schoolwork just to chat with me and fiddle around on Pinterest for a while...my friends gave me a permanent smile today. God puts people like this in our lives to make us better people. He gives us friends as blessings in human form. I thank God today for all of these blessings He has given me. He uses them to show us the power of human care, affection, and love. He uses them to show us that we can put our faith and trust in others just as we can in Him. I'm so sorry that this post is so short, but it is exactly to the point that I wanted to get across to God. I want Him to know how much my friends mean to me. I want Him to know that I cherish the relationships with those people for I know that they are a result of God's love for me. Thank God for your friends. Cherish those relationships, for each friend was especially picked for you by Him.

Runner By Design

If you were holding your car keys in your hand, you wouldn't go around frantically looking for them... right? If your phone was sitting on the table in front of you, you wouldn't be pestering others to call it so that you could find it...right? Right. Because it is silly to look for something that isn't lost. For the past week, I have been frantically trying to regain my confidence back in running. I act as though I am starting from scratch, as though I am just now learning to race. I keep asking God to help me regain my confidence and beliefs in myself and have been left puzzled on why I still feel so lost. That was before today. Today when I woke up, my mom and I started talking about my walk with God. She showed me a devotional about the person God molds us to be in life. It talked about how God gives us special talents and gifts so that we can glorify Him. He doesn't just give us a talent to display on our own...He gives us talents so that when we display them to the world, He can be there too. That's what I have been missing. For the past few weeks, I have questioned my future as a runner. Is this really what God planned for me? Do I really belong out on the track with these girls? Does God want me to stop running and do something else? No, He doesn't want me to stop. God blessed me with a gift of running so that I could use it to glorify Him. But instead I do it in a selfish manner. I continually forget to send Him an invitation to my races. I continually use my talents for my own selfish pleasures and gain. Just because I fell, had a bad race, and got a little behind in training doesn't mean that God took away my talent. He is just showing me that I need to let Him be a part of it with me. So during all this time of looking desperately for my confidence, it really never left. I just lost sight of why God made me a runner. I was trying to rely on myself and myself alone to produce success. Truth is, that is not what produces success. Success happens through God, and without Him, it's like trudging through mud. Sure you can move forward, but it takes you five times the time and five times the effort. God wants to pull you, wants to push you, wants to walk alongside you. This is what my mom helped me to realize today. She helped me to see that I have been searching for something that never left me. She helped me to see that God just wants to be present in my running. She helped me to realize that God made me to be a runner.

I am a runner by design, and will from here on out run to glorify God alone. Thats a promise. 

Who were you designed to be? Whatever it is, do it with a full dose of God.

The Heart of A Women

Then the time came, when the risk it took to remain tight in a bud was more painful that the risk it took to blossom. - Anias Nin


I recently came across this quote in my February book, "Captivating," by John and Stasi Eldredge. (What I mean by February book-->my new years resolution is to read a book a month for a year :) ) The book is about diving into the soul of a woman and "rescuing the heart and releasing you to live as fully alive and feminine as possible" (in the beautiful words of the author herself). The quote grabbed my attention immediately when I read it. Why? Because it is the way that I have been feeling about myself, my heart, and my relationship with God. Sorry for you boys, but this one is for the ladies...Our whole lives, we are taught that we are at one end of the spectrum. That is...either not good enough or too much to handle. If we dressed better, weighed less, tried harder, ran faster, studied longer...we could be the greatest. But then on the other end, people would love us if we weren't so uptight, weren't so emotional, or weren't so involved. We are stuck staying tight in our buds because we are so afraid to follow our hearts, instead we conform to the world around us. Our hearts are our most important piece of our bodies. They are our very core of love, life, and happiness. God made women's hearts to be full of life and adventure. And instead of bleeding every ounce of God's grace from our hearts, we limit them to a standard. Well, God is pulling me from this dreaded spectrum. He is pulling me closer to Him. He is unlocking chains, busting walls, and tearing through curtains of doubt and fear that surround my heart in the desperate hope to help me bloom. He wants us to unleash our dreams into the world and live them. He wants us to love harder, breath deeper, and embrace the gift of being a woman. Today, I pray that God takes hold of your chains, and tears them away from the cage around your heart. I pray that He puts your dreams, desires, and loves back into you eyes and helps you to live for them. I pray today, that God helps you to blossom.

No Place Like Home

This weekend, I decided to come down to Columbia to visit my sister. I knew that it would be a little difficult to be in Clemson all weekend with my team being in NYC, plus I miss my twin. When I got down here, we decided to go and walk through our old neighborhood that we grew up in. I haven't been back to my old street in almost 8 years. We drove to our old neighborhood swimming pool, parked, and started on the half mile walk to our old house. I have to admit, I was nervous. Nervous to see how time had changed my past. The street looked smaller somehow. I guess being a few years older and a few inches taller made the world look like it shrunk. When we approached it, my heart sunk. The oak tree that I had counted behind for hide and seek countless times had been chopped down. My playhouse where I pretended to make the worlds best chocolate chip cookies out of plastic kitchen ware was nowhere to be found. But worst of all, the piece of the driveway that housed mine and my siblings handprints was torn up and cast away. The house sat at the same address, on the same corner, in the same neighborhood, but it wasn't my house. It was theirs, whoever they may be. It helped me to realize something about my walk with God though. That even though I have been weathered by change, pulled at times by the devil, and torn up a few times, I am still the same girl God has loved throughout. When I saw my old house today, I still referred to it as my house. Thats what God does. Even when we lose our way sometimes, He still says, "that's my child." He knew and knows that sin will come up in our lives. He knows that we will change. He knows that we may appear different on the outside after time goes by. But with all of that, He still only looks to the inside. God loves our souls. Just as I love my old home. Through all of this thought, today God gave me confidence. He made me understand that just because I am a little behind in training, just because I struggle to give up control, just because I lost the light for a while...I am still His and His alone. For this I am baffled, but in a greater sense humbled. God took my breath away today. And all it took was to take me back home.

May The Tigers Roar

If you guys don't mind, I would like to take today to pray for my team. Today is their first day of competition up at the Armory in New York City for the New Balance Indoor Games. I have watched, witnessed, and participated in the brutal training regime that the team has undergone over the past few weeks, and I know that they are ready. I pray that God will give them to strength to perform to the best of their abilities this weekend. I pray that He will give them the confidence and will power they need to face every competitor on their side with an edge of glory. I pray that He will lift them up on wings like eagles and help them to fly. Win or lose, I pray that they will praise Him and give Him the honor and glory for it all. Below is my favorite verse of all time to read before any competition:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
"Do you not know that runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified."


God Bless The Tigers :)

Simple Beauty

Today, I want to think God for the little things. For a good cup of coffee. For a close parking spot. For the smile of a passing peer. For a trail run with a great friend. For the warmth of a 73 degree today. In all the hustle and bustle of tests, homework, running, etc, sometimes I forget about the small things that make life happy. God made today exquisite in Clemson, South Carolina. The sky is strikingly blue. The sun is oozing warmth. The people are pleasantly smiling. Today, I will put all worries, anxieties, and discouragements aside, and I will delicately examine all of the little things that make today wonderful. I pray that all of you will do the same. Even if you aren't in Clemson, or even if it's not a beautiful day outside, I pray that you will thank God for the simple things. If you are at a loss for words, please join me in my prayer:

Heavenly Father. Thank you for this glorious day. I pray that you will help me to soak up every ounce of simple beauty that you have blessed me with today. I pray for the time to take a step back from this rushed world, simply to awe at all that you have created with Your hands. I thank You for reminding me of how powerful and majestic You are. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.

Now, get off your computers and go enjoy the world today. Breathe in the day :)

Who Is Life Really Unfair For?

We all have done it. We all do it. We all will continue to do it. That is, believe that life is unfair. When things don't go how we want them too, whether voiced loudly, muttered softly, or thought to oneself, the words "this is so unfair" flood the body. All week I have been struggling with this. As teammates giddily talk about the upcoming weekend races in New York City, I, for one, am forever destined to be sidelined from all of the festivities. But, it's not because the fall happened, or the failure to input an entry time happened, or that God just thought that I didn't deserve it...it's because life happened. Well, if you haven't already come to realize it, let me be one to say it, life was not designed to be fair for us. If everything worked out for every single one of us all of the time, then what need would we have for God? And, like I have said a million times before today, God wants us to need Him. With that being said, why should He create a world of total and complete fairness? The funniest part about this whole thing though, is that we actually act like we deserve to have this ideal life of fairness. God offered His son as a sacrifice for ALL of OUR sins, watched as they drove nails into his palms and feet, let Him DIE for OUR sake. You wanna talk fair? If life was fair, we would all be on the express way to Hell, before we even knew we had boarded the train. Now let me ask you (and myself), do you still wish for that fair life? I am going to assume that most of you said No, as did I. We shouldn't be jealous of who has better hair, who has more money, who gets to go to the big races, or who has the hottest boyfriend, because God doesn't take that into account in the end. He loves us all the same and will fulfill all of our desires once we reach His Kingdom of Heaven.  So today I am going to pray to God about fairness. Below, I have written a prayer that I hope all of you will pray to Him as well:

Heavenly Father. Today I pray to you about fairness. I pray that you will rid my life of jealousy and the upsetting feelings of life being unfair for ME. For in all truthfulness, if like were fair, I should not be allowed the opportunity to enter into your Kingdom. I pray that you will give me the strength to overcome all of the obstacles, hand in hand with you, in the future that may lead me back to my selfish feelings of unfairness. I also want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to live a life full of blessings, and pray that I will continue to live my life in humility and servitude to You. All this I ask in your name. Amen

So next time you think about life being unfair for you, think about this...God could have let us ride the express train straight to hell with no chance of getting off, but instead He pulled the brakes, and came to a halt at Station 1: Life.

What Is Your Biggest Fear?

Last thursday, while sitting in class, my coach texted me about what I would be doing at practice that day. He told me that all of the other girls would be doing a workout, and since I had not yet done one since I hurt my foot, he gave me three options. 1. Do the workout 2. Do half the workout and prepare to race saturday 3. Go on an easy run. My initial text back was, "Well, what do you think is the best decision for me?" Instead of giving me a straight forward answer, he replied, "I can't make that decision for you Kate. You have to tell me how you are feeling. What is your biggest fear?" I thought about this question for a minute. What was my biggest fear about racing? When I got to practice and talked it over with my coach, we came to the conclusion that my biggest fear was that if I raced, I would injure myself more and have to sit out for longer. It seemed like a reasonable answer, so I went with it. Well, after doing the workout and racing, I realized that getting more hurt wasn't my fear at all. I was really just afraid of disappointment. I was afraid of letting my coach down, my team down, and myself down. I learned a thing or two about success today. We, today, define success through achievement, status, reputation, and performance. When one executes one of those qualities poorly, we automatically acknowledge it as a failure. Story of my weekend. I considered myself a failure. I forced myself to believe that all of those around me now looked at me with a sense of pity and worthlessness. I felt as though I had failed my team, my coach, my parents, myself, and God. But God doesn't define success in the same way we do. He defines it as persecution, hardship, sacrifice, obedience, etc. He could care less how many gold medals and ribbons you bring with you to the gates of Heaven. He could care less how many times your name is written in a record book or on a shiny plaque. To Him, our successes aren't tangible things. They are the way we carry out His word. Kind of makes me feel silly for calling myself a failure for one bad race. To God, it didn't matter what my time was, or what place I finished. To Him, all that mattered was how I responded to Him. Instead of praising Him, and praying to Him, and trusting Him, I resented Him for what happened. That is where I was unsuccessful. I didn't follow Him or have confidence in Him. So join me today in praying to God for success. Not on paper or in your sport, but in your path of Christ. Pray to God that He will help you to not be consumed or overcome by material success, but instead be consumed in carrying out His word. God will not let you fail.

Courage

Last night, I prayed to God for the strength to devote my all to Him. I prayed for Him to rid me of my addiction to running, and that I would live by my words. I prayed for the courage to let go. My friend recently introduced me to the song "Courageous" by the Casting Crowns. My favorite part of the song is as follows: 

Where are you, men of courage?
You were made for so much more
Let the pounding of our hearts cry
We will serve the Lord

We were made to be courageous
And we're taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

This song helps me to understand my battle with confidence and courage a lot more. God made us to be men and woman of courage. That we would stand amongst all people and proclaim God as our Lord and savior. That we would be willing and able to cast all things aside to walk in the light of His word. He created us in an image of courage to serve Him. When I choose to lose confidence or take back control of my life when I feel that it is starting to falter, I give up my courage as well. I begin to live in fear and worry. I forget my purpose of creation. By definition courage means two things: 1. the ability to do something that frightens one; 2. strength in the face of pain or grief. The second definition, I think, has a lot to do with my current battle of faith. When I am faced with pain or grief, I run. Even though I'm not running as far away as I used to, I still run from God. I am scared to face Him and show Him my disappointments, anxieties, and troubles. More so, because once I show Him, that means I have to show it to my biggest competition...me. Nobody likes to admit failure. Nobody likes to accept defeat. Which is why we take things into our own hands to fix them. Only that just reeks selfishness and stubbornness. Not courage. It takes more courage to get down on your hands and knees and plea for help than to just block it out of memory or fix it on your own. But God wants us to plea. He wants us to have the courage to give Him all of our burdens, fears, and anxieties. He wants us to have the courage to serve Him with our whole selves, not just pieces of us. So, join me today in a walk of courage. Get on your knees, lift your hands, and pray for courage. Pray to God that He will be your rock. Pray that you can be the man/woman that God created you to be. 

Confidence

Well, yesterday definitely did not go the way that I had hoped for. I felt like I was confident and ready at the start, but quickly let self doubt take over. As soon as my legs started to get tired, it consumed me. As soon as the first girl past me, my eyes and head moved south. I stopped believing in myself and I stopped trusting God. I guess part of me assumed that since I had asked God to help me to run for His glory, that the race and a PR would be handed over to me on a silver platter. That I could sit back and not have to hurt to make it happen. Oh boy was I wrong. My mom described it to me as, "sure God had given me all the ingredients to make the bread, but I still have to put it in the oven to make it rise." I lost all of my confidence in Him because He wasn't doing it all for me. I need help to understand that God isn't going to do it all for me, He is there to GUIDE me. I am in much better physical shape than how I performed on the track yesterday, but none of that matters if my head is not screwed on straight. It's frustrating to me that I gave up on myself and lost trust in God because I continually stress, to all of you, the importance of giving it all to Him. Today, I am praying for God's help. I need help. I don't have all of the answers. I can't expect all of this to come easy. God wants me to lean on Him and He keeps trying to tell me do so and I STILL, in the grand scheme of things, rely on myself. I read a devotional today that talked about addictions. About people who have an addiction, that no matter how much they pray to God or talk about God to others, they still continue to put all of the strength and will into their addiction. My addiction is running. Even though I thank God everyday for blessing me with the talent and tell Him that running will never take precedent over Him, I still put all of my strength into running. This is not the right path. And God doesn't want it to be that way. He is my number one, and until I stop putting running first, He is going to continue to test me and show me that He wants me to trust Him. He wants me to run to him. I would really like to ask all of you to pray for me. Pray that I will stop putting running first. Pray that I will trust Him with all my heart. Pray that I will put my bread in the oven.

Today Is His Day

Today is a day that I did not expect. Today, I toe the line at my first indoor meet of the season. Today, I will run 3000 kilometers as fast as I am able. Today I will test my fitness against 14 other talented women who have trained just as hard as I have. All of these are instances of "today" and today alone, but do you know what is not just today? God is with me. Not just for today, but everyday. He is the reason that I am not a bit nervous. He is this reason that I am willing to accept the pain that this race may bring my legs. He is the reason that, win or lose, I will walk off the track today with my head held high. He is the one who will receive the honor and glory. I have no doubt in my mind that every stride I make today is perfectly orchestrated into a race that God has laid out for me to run. I have no doubt in my mind that God will be present in the Clemson Indoor Track today. I have no doubt in my mind that if I put all of my trust and faith in Him, that I will succeed in glorifying Him. Readers, if you don't mind, I would like to use the remainder of today's post to present God with my prayer for the day and a quote of motivation.

"Heavenly Father, first I would like to thank you for today. Thank you for giving me another day to awe at your majesty. As I toe the line today at the meet, I pray that you will rid my mind and heart of any anxiety, fear, or doubt. I pray that you will use me today to prove your glory to others. Win or lose, I know that I will not fail, because I know that you will be with me at every step. I pray that you will humble me and that you will not let me make today "my day." For today is your day Lord, everyday is your day. I pray before you today to be your humble servant and to walk in your light. I pray for all of those ladies who will line up next to me, that they too will trust and glorify you. In your holy name I pray, Amen."

Also, just for a bit of motivation, I found this via a friend on Pinterest...

What are you afraid of?
Getting an injury...It eventually heals.
Passing out...You will still be alive.
Not being able to breathe...You can once your done.
Feeling the pain...It'll eventually go away.
Are you afraid of the competition?
Whatever it is, don't be afraid to get out there and compete, because as soon as you cross that finish line, you should know that you have nothing left. Be fearless from start to finish.

Why be afraid today? God is with you.

The Power of Love

Have you ever just sat down and considered how strong the power of God really is? I know you may know it already by the Book or by word of mouth, but have you ever taken a step back and really awed at his majesty? Wondered over the life and beauty He creates? Marveled at how He can transform the worst of times into the best of times? And even more than that, have you ever tried to wrap your mind around the fact that He does it all because He WANTS to? God doesn't bless us in spite of anything. He doesn't reward us to pity us. He acts on us because He wants us...craves us...loves us. To quote the wise words of my devotional "Joni and Friends," "The fact that He would bless us with eternal pleasures when he could easily char us like burnt toast is a wonderful thing." How true is that though? God is full of so much power that at the snap of His finger, the world could be destroyed. So then how come when we sin, or when we lean on ourselves, or when we lose sight of our path God doesn't just finish us off? It wouldn't be hard. In fact, it would be easy, and would make a lot more sense. But instead, God uses these times to pull us closer to Him. Instead of charring us like burnt toast, He rains down His burning passion and loves on us. That's a head scratcher right? To me, that is one of the greatest things about faith in God. You don't have to have it all figured out. It's not an equation with a simple answer. God's love for us is so far beyond measurable terms. In accepting that love, God has transformed my life. He has focused my attention on the life that surrounds me instead of on just me. He has pulled me into a constant state of awe. You know that feeling you get when someone tells you they love you? That feeling of butterflies uncontrollably swarming your stomach. That feeling where a smile is impossible to wipe from you face. That nervous/excited nausea for what the future holds. Well, that is how I feel every morning when I wake up now. Excitedly nauseas to see what wonder God has in store for me. The possibilities are limitless for a man of His power. Thrilling isn't it? I experienced a great instance of God's powerful love yesterday. I laced up my shoes for a workout, fully expecting to feel out of shape, sore, and behind. Instead, He made me feel fast, fresh, and free. Enough to the point where I have decided to continue to prepare my fields and race on saturday. Only one man has the power to have me go from hobbling around on Monday to racing a 3000 kilometer race on Saturday. That is something I refer to as love. The best part is, you don't have to beg or pray for Him to love you. He already does. He always has. Instead, pray to Him that He will help you embrace His love, thrive in His love, accept His love. I mean, come on, He sent His ONLY son to die for YOU. So soak in God's love, and love him back.

Never a NO

We live in a time where things are constantly rushed. If something doesn't happen at the snap of a finger, it causes panic resulting in it being either dismissed or altered. In short, we lack patience. This can pose problems when it comes to prayer and God. You see, God doesn't work based off of your schedule. He does things in His own time. A lot of times, this makes it hard for people to put all of their trust in Him. It causes people to go back to relying on themselves and material things to get them through their troubles. When some pray to God, and don't get an immediate "yes" response, they lose hope. They lose confidence in God's promises. They think that God isn't listening. What people don't understand, is that "yes" isn't God's only answer, but also that a straight up "NO" is never God's answer. You see, I have come to find that God answers prayers in three ways. One is with a "yes". If God has what you are praying for in His plan for you, then a simple yes it all it takes. Two is with, "not right now." This goes back to what I said before. God operates on His own schedule. It He feels that it is simply not the time for what you are praying for to happen, then He will not have it happen. This should not be a reason to lose faith in Him. All that this response should do is to keep you praying about it. When God is ready, you will know. He will let you know that He has not been turning His ear away, for He had just fit it into your life at a different time. Finally, He answers with, "I've got something better in mind." This is where humility needs to come before honor. This is where you must realize that life isn't going to unfold exactly the way you want it to do.  This is where you need to trust that God has your back. This is where you have to hold onto faith the strongest. Prayer has proven, to me, to be the most powerful weapon that I have on this earth. It has the power to penetrate hate, fear, anger, doom, and sadness to make its way to God. Just because it's not the answer you want, doesn't mean it's wrong for you. Be Patient. Keep Praying. Period.

Cloud Nine

OH THE POWER OF GOD! OH THE POWER OF PRAYER! OH THE WONDER OF A LIFE LIVED IN HUMILITY! OH THE MIRACLES OF FAITH! I am sorry to have written all of that in all capital letters, but I am literally on cloud nine today. I got to practice yesterday afternoon and my trainer told me that I should try running on my foot to help strengthen it. He told me that he would wrap it up and that I would have to understand that it was going to hurt when I ran, but I needed to try to push through it as long as it wasn't extremely uncomfortable. I took two steps, felt soreness, and stopped. I thought to myself, "No, way am I going to run today. I could feel it in those two steps, so I will definitely feel it for a few miles. I think I'll just bike today." Then, I started to think about what I had written that very same morning. I wrote how I have to prepare my fields to receive the gifts of God. I have to show Him that I trust Him. With that being said, I took a deep breath, and began to run. I could feel it alright. Every step. No sharp pains, only dull aches. But, I knew God was with me. I knew that He would answer my prayers of healing if I showed Him that I had faith in His power. It loosened up some, and after the 4 miles that I was instructed to do, I felt a sense of comfort. I felt God put his hand on my shoulder and say, "Kate, don't worry, I've got your back." I went straight to the training room to get treatment and ice to prevent any soreness or swelling before I headed back to my apartment. Happiness flooded my insides as I began to think about the past hour of my day. I had run. Not too far, but I had run. I kept my shoes on for most of the night because I know that that is when my foot feels almost normal. The day before, I couldn't bear to walk barefoot. I finally took my shoes off when I jumped in the bed. A couple of minutes later, I wanted to get a glass of water, so I jumped off of my bed and scrambled into the kitchen. After a few moments of fiddling around the kitchen and making my way back to my room, I realized that I was barefoot.....and my foot DIDNT HURT! I couldn't believe it. I hadn't even noticed that my shoes were absent from my feet! I prepared my fields for rain, and received God's gift of healing. Not without the help of all of those who have been praying for me though. So for all of those who have been praying for me, thank you. I want more than anything to help others prepare their fields for God's rain. If anyone at all has any prayer requests please feel free to send them to me via facebook or email (kborowi@clemson.edu). I want everyone to have the chance to experience the glory of God, just as I have. The road will be tough and not without obstacles, but those moments where you feel God put is hand on your shoulder and tell you He's got this, make it all worth while!