First Blog

I finally decided to start a blog. I guess my motivation to start one is to track my marathon training. I am not the best at journaling and should really be keeping a running diary. I figure it will be easier for me to keep track in this capacity than in a notebook. My other motivation (although hardly secondary) is to share what I am learning in my journey through God’s word. These past couple of years now, I have been attending a woman’s bible study led by my pastor’s wife. Jamy is a beautiful woman with an infectious passion for God’s word. I love what I have been learning about the riches of scripture and how they apply personally to my own life.

About me: First and foremost, I am a Christian. I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and this goes way deeper than mere “religion.” But, if you really must know, I am a member of a wonderful, healthy, growing Southern Baptist church. I serve in our AWANAS program and help guide 3 to 5 year olds in learning their first bible verses. I love Wednesdays. I accepted Christ into my heart when I was seven. I am blessed and will be forever grateful to have grown up in a Christian home. I married my high school sweetheart, Doug, on January 3^rd, 2004. My husband is THE most talented person I have ever known. It is almost annoying how many things he is excellent at. He is also the biggest dreamer I have ever met. Mainly, he is a singer/songwriter. His big dreams include supporting his family with his music someday. I pray this for him and our family everyday. Doug reminds me constantly that God gave him his talents, passions, and desires for a reason. His website is www.dwhurtmusic.com. Doug is currently serving in our contemporary worship service and in the college department. We welcomed our first child, Jack Danger (yes, Danger is REALLY his middle name) in May of 2008. Jack serves in the church nursery as the comic relief and worship leader =). His nickname is “Jabber-Jack.” I am a stay at home mom and I love everyday because I get to wake up to either a run or the sound of Jack singing in his bed waiting for me.

Running background: I joined cross- country my sophomore year at Ronald Reagan High School. I was silly and had no clue how to prepare for distance running, so the summer before, I forced myself to run 6 miles at 10 minute mile pace 6-7 times a week for essentially the entire summer. I have no clue how I didn’t injure myself. Needless to say, I had trained hard enough to easily make the varsity pack. Since that year (1999) I have always been a runner. My fastest cross-country time was 2 miles in 13:04, and track was 12:40. I always knew that someday I wanted to run a marathon.

Current running: I am now on week 6 of an 18 week training schedule for the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on April 25^th. This week the training is:

Tuesday: 3 miles

Wednesday: 6 miles

Thursday: 3 miles

Saturday: 13 miles

I have been running all runs at a 9-minute mile pace. I would love to finish the marathon in under 4 hours. TMI Alert: My biggest challenge so far is CHAFFING!!! I have major sports bra issues. I am talking about open-wound-cry-when-you-take-a-shower-issues. I am a “heavy” runner ( I do not mean this term to be self-deprecating: if you weigh over 145 pounds you can enter a special fat category at most marathons. For men, the category is the Clydesdale. For women, it is the Filly. Most distance runners are lean. I will say that I am in shape, but I not the stereotypical super thin runner.) Sports bras just aren’t designed for woman with shape. I usually have to buy an XL or XXL bra and still have major issues especially with longer runs. I don’t know how bustier or heavier women do anything athletic! I am only a C-cup with an athletic build and I know plenty of women larger than that. C’mon, Nike, work with me here. Before I get a lot of people telling me about specialty sports bras for larger women: I know they are out there. I also know that the last one I looked at cost 65 bucks. Do you know how many diapers that buys?! Another issue is that I have to be up and running before Doug heads to work which means setting the alarm to 5 AM. The exception is Saturdays when I do my long runs. Even then, I usually manage to get up and run for two hours to come home to Doug and Jack still sleeping. Another issue is finances. I still haven’t paid the entry fee of 100 bucks for the marathon because I can’t afford to yet. I am just hoping and praying it doesn’t fill up before I can pay. Also, good running gear can be expensive. As I mentioned before, I am a heavy distance runner and investing in well cushioned shoes with ample support is very important in preventing injury. Two years ago I was training for a half marathon that I never got to run because I hurt my knee running for too long on worn out shoes. I thought I couldn’t “afford” new shoes. I especially couldn’t afford the visit to the orthopedic sports specialists. And in my 10+ years of running experience, you get what you paid for in the shoe department. Another problem I face is my addiction to treadmill running. I have done all my training so far on the treadmill. The treadmill is safe, familiar, has less impact, and TV! I love how I can just set my pace and plug in my headphones. Plus, my water bottle and Gu is right at my fingertips. The weather in Oklahoma has been terrible the past couple of months, but I don’t think I am going to have the blizzard excuse for too much longer. I know I need more experience especially with my long runs in the Oklahoma wind.

Current study: I just finished up two weeks in Proverbs and Romans 12. I don’t know what is more humbling, reading about the Proverbs 31 woman or learning what Paul had to say about our role in the body of Christ, what humbleness and love look like as an action, and what a biblical response to our enemies should be.

I learned that Proverbs 31 is less of a description of a super hero and more of a call to have the right priorities. One of my favorite passages was 31:17-20 when it talks of her “opening her hands to the needy,” She is so so productive and busy, yet she makes time for things that matter, like giving to the poor. She doesn’t let the business of her day-to-day interfere with doing the things that really matter. I am guilty of having a mental checklist in my head that I want to accomplish. Usually it involves a run, followed by bible study, housework, Jack time, and dinner. I consider it a "good day" if I can say I accomplished everything. I am learning that this way of living tends to be shallow. Our pastor reminded us a couple weeks ago that our ministry should be to our family first. Here, we see the Proverbs 31 woman giving to those in need because she has already engaged in an effective ministry to her own household. Another verse I loved was v.25 when it talks of her “laughing at the days to come.” I don’t know how one woman can be so busy/productive and have so much to do and at the same time have no anxiety. Our tasks and responsibilities should not stress us out; the opposite should be true: our tasks (if done well) should give us a peace about the future. So many times, I am anxious about things on my to-do list. I need to have the right perspective: I do those things to decrease my stress.

One of the great truths I learned from my Romans 12 study was in verses 9-12. V. 12 says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction…” the footnote in my bible says, “Enduring triumphantly-necessary for Christians because affliction is their inevitable experience.” Whoah!!! I love this stuff. God is molding us into the person that can best serve his kingdom when we go through affliction. It is our inevitable experience! God’s word rules. I think C.S. Lewis said it well (he says everything well) "Some people feel guilty about their anxieties and regard them as a defect of faith but they are afflictions, not sins. Like all afflictions, they are, if we can so take them, our share in the passion of Christ." I can’t wait to get started tomorrow morning on a new study called, “Me, Myself, and Lies.” Details to follow. I apologize for the length of this first entry. I don’t know if I will post everyday, but when I do, I will include info on my study and the run (if any) I did that day. My goal here is not to have a huge following as a blogger, but to have a better way to organize my thoughts and goals in the areas of spiritual and physical growth. Maybe I can share my experiences with someone who needs help or guidance in either area. Let me know what you think. I love comments and above all, I treasure prayers and advice. For now, be encouraged and know that you are loved.