Running With Perseverance

Not Everything Is Beneficial

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Coco

I never was comfortable relying on my faith when I was dieting. I admire people who are motivated to treat their bodies like “God’s temple” or who draw strength from prayer, but I had enough guilt and self-esteem issues to throw sin into the diet mix. I’m sure God does want me to eat right and take care of my body, but I hope He has bigger things to worry about than how many Chips Ahoy I ate.

Still, there are a few Bible verses that always make me think about my dieting efforts whenever I read them.

There is this passage from 1 Corinthians 10: 23-31

Everything is permissible— but not everything is beneficial.
Everything is permissible— but not everything is constructive.
Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
for, the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.
* * * * *
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Of course, the passage is talking about religious dietary rules, but it easily applies to healthy eating rules (whatever they may be).

“Everything is permissible—but not everything is beneficial” fits perfectly with my current approach to food. I can eat anything, but I know that some choices are better than others, some options are more beneficial than others, and some foods have very little redeeming value. If I decide to indulge, that’s OK, especially if make a conscious decision to enjoy myself with family and friends–that’s the closest I come to eating “for the glory of God.” 😉

These two passages help me remember what really matters when I am judging myself by the calories in my food log or the number on my scale.

In 1 Samuel 16: 7, the Lord is speaking to Samuel and says:

The LORD does not look at the things people look at.
People look at the outward appearance,
but the LORD looks at the heart.

In Luke 12:22-24, Jesus tell his disciples:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat;
or about your body, what you will wear.
For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

Do you turn to prayer to help you reach your goals?

Are there any Bible verses that speak to you in this context?

Posted in Food, My Faith | Tagged Bible, Christian, Prayer | 10 Comments

Training Log: Rock’n’Roll USA Half Marathon (Week 3)

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Coco

Hopefully this will be my last “training log” post summarizing a week where I hardly did any training for the Rock’n’Roll USA Half Marathon (Washington, D.C., March 17, 2012).

My “excuse” this week was a business trip to London. Yes, I did select my hotel based in part on it’s decent gym, but it was hard to get up for an o’dark-thirty workout when my body thought it was the middle of the night!

Monday (Travel Day)
I arrived in London mid-morning, with only a few hours of dozing to count for sleep. The guy in the seat behind me was very tall, and I could not recline my seat at all. After I checked in to my hotel I did scope out the hotel gym, but I had an afternoon business meeting to get ready for.

Tuesday (Hotel TM)
Treadmill: 45 min, 6K
I spent the first 1K warming up (walking and running) and then ran 5K, first at 6.0 mph, then at 6.3 mph. I felt better than I did last week, but not “better.” The rest of the day I felt “tight” in my ITB/hip/glute area.

Wednesday (Hotel Elliptical)
Elliptical: 30 min
Weights: 15 min quick routine
I cranked up my iPod and cranked out a decent elliptical workout–I broke a sweat and everything! Then I squeezed in a quick weights workout covering the essentials (deadlifts, military presses, push-ups, lunges, bicep curls, plie squats, French presses).

Thursday (Zzzzz)
I forgot to set my alarm and woke up just in time to get ready for my conference meetings. A conference call back to the U.S. and dinner plans meant I could not hit the gym later. Oh, well. Sleep happens!

Friday (Hotel TM)
Treadmill: 1 mile warm-up (12:30); 4 mile run (37:40); walking cool down
I woke up before the two alarms I had set, and decided to hit the gym early. It was totally dark when I got off the hotel elevator on the basement level–I used the glow of my iPod Nano to light the way to the gym. (They do take energy conservation seriously!)

Saturday (Home Sweet Home Run)
Just an easy neighborhood run with Tiger Lilly. She did great. Sometimes my ITB(?) felt really tight; sometimes it didn’t.

Garmin Data:
Total Distance: 4.34 miles
Total Time: 42:12
Avg. Pace: 9:44 min/mile
Split Times: 9:54, 9:45; 9:39; 9:45

Sunday (Bike Path)
I felt good after Saturday’s run and was itching for a run on the bikepath, so I brought my running clothes with me to church and changed in my car. I kept myself to 6 miles since it was my third running day in a row. Today my “issue” was definitely more in my glute than my ITB, and wasn’t too annoying.

Garmin Data:
Total Distance: 6.05 miles
Total Time: 55:00
Avg. Pace: 9:07 min/mile
Split Times: 9:09, 9:09; 9:19; 8:57; 9:05; 9:00

Posted in Fitness, Training Log | Tagged Business Travel, Hotel Gyms, Injuries Suck, Long Run, Running, Tiger Lilly, Weight Training | 1 Comment

Being Blunt–The British Language Edition

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Coco

Although I was seriously confused by some of the “features” of my hotel room, for the most part I’ve been struck by how straight-forward things are here in London, and find some British language usage to be humorously blunt.

At breakfast, the waitress will ask you if you want “white” or “brown” toast. One morning I ordered “wheat” toast and she confirmed that I wanted “brown.”

At the train station and other large public places, the exit is marked with “way out” signs. Somehow that seems more direct!

Some restrooms have cutesy signange that can be difficult to decipher, but these public restrooms took a more clinical approach.

It’s fun to visit a city where they technically speak the same language, but I can notice many subtle differences!

Posted in Life | Tagged Business Travel, London | 4 Comments

Three Things Thursday (The Confounded Edition)

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Coco

I am on a business trip, staying at a lovely boutique hotel in London. I’m used to things being different when I travel, but three things about my hotel room really confounded me.

When I saw how small the lift was, I told the bellhop that I could take my bags up myself. Maybe if I’d let him escort me he would have shown me how to turn the lights on! I flipped every switch in my room before I gave up and found a housekeeper to help me.

I could blame my jet lag, but I don’t think that I ever would have figured out that you have to put your room key card into this device by the master switch before any lights or electrical outlets will work!

Being a fan of strong coffee, I was happy to see this Nespresso machine in the mini-bar area.

Although there was a card with step-by-step directions, the card did not show where the water reservoir is. After pouring water into the wrong place two times, I finally found it. (Thank goodness for a generous supply of towels!)

I didn’t think twice when the waiter brought me a book of matches with my dinner bill. After all, this is Europe where people still smoke, right?

Luckily I took advantage of the slow lift ride back up to my room to take a closer look.

I noticed that the front of the “matchbook” says “Herbal Seedsticks”–each “matchstick” has a seed embedded in it. The directions say to poke the seedsticks into a container filled with “compost” and water generously with a fine spray.

Have you ever been confounded by your hotel accommodations?

Would you have figured out the light switch?

Posted in Life | Tagged Business Travel | 9 Comments