God Is In The Aftermath

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Coco

Last year after the devastating tornado tore through Joplin, Missouri, I wrestled with the question, “Where was God in all this?” While I could see God working through the people who came together to help each other, I was not satisfied with a God that only shows up for the aftermath of our tragedies.

This week, as I was trying hard to pray instead of worry, I actually was comforted by the thought of God being present in the aftermath. What I am dealing with is more along the lines of one of life’s little messes than a tragedy–no lives, limbs, or homes are at stake–but it will be a rough few weeks until I can put it behind me. I want to “fix it” now, but there is absolutely nothing I can do but wait–except “watch and pray.”

Remembering that God is here with me during this time is a huge comfort. Maybe He will show me a shorter route out. Maybe He will let me find joy in the journey. If I can trust that His will is at work–even if it is behind the scenes from my perspective–I will be able to find at least a bit of that peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.

How do you deal with a problem that you can’t fix?

Posted in My Faith | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Race Recap: PVTC Go Fourth 8K 2012

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Coco

I guess the PVTC Go Fourth 8K is my July 4th tradition. I think I missed it a few years for lacrosse tournaments, but if we are home, I will brave the heat and the hills to get some watermelon at the finish!

While many runners take the opportunity to wear patriotic outfits, I wanted to try out my new ProCompression socks. Since they are hot pink, I thought they would go better with my Sauconys than my Mizunos, so this was my first race in my Sauconys.

20120704-110122.jpg

Although I prefer to run early to beat the heat, the 8:30 start meant I could set my alarm for 6:00, walk the dog, do my physical therapy exercises, take a quick shower and fix a cup of coffee and still get to the race site in time to snag a good parking place. (Talk about fitting it all in!)

After I got my race bib, I went to the bathroom because I could–there was no line.

20120704-110116.jpg
(Have you ever seen such a beautiful sight?)

It was in the low 70s but overcast at the start, and I even felt a few raindrops. The sun came out quickly though, and I was definitely feeling the heat on the course. My plan was to run a solid run, but I did not want to risk my recovery by pushing too hard or sprinting at the end. I think my split times show that I met that goal pretty well:

9:13, 8:50, 8:44, 8:42, 8:30

(OK, maybe I pushed a bit harder at the end.)

Finish time: 43:02 (4.9 miles, avg. 8:48 min/mi).

After I crossed the finish line, I kept walking over to the picnic area, where I knew there would be watermelon waiting.

20120704-110128.jpg
(The race director slicing the watermelon)

20120704-110134.jpg
So refreshing!

What are your July 4th traditions?

Posted in Fitness, Race Recaps | Tagged , | 11 Comments

My Healthy Declaration Of Independence

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Coco

Happy Fourth of July!

Last year I wrote out this healthy declaration of independence. It is a good reminder of my real priorities as I am struggling to get back on track after too many special events and conferences and as I am coping with my slow recovery from my nagging ITB issues.

My Declaration of Independence

Stars & Stripes Bar

  • I declare myself free from greasy foods that leave me feeling gross.
  • I declare myself free from sugary snacks that make me crash and burn.
  • I declare myself free from craving soda that rots my teeth.
  • I declare myself free from guilt about indulging when it’s worth it.
  • I declare myself free from choosing clothes that hide my figure.
  • I declare myself free from sitting on the sidelines because I’m too out of shape to play.

Stars & Stripes Bar

  • I celebrate my freedom to enjoy a varied diet of nutritious, delicious foods.
  • I celebrate my freedom to say “No, thank you” to food pushers.
  • I celebrate my freedom from food hangovers and carb comas.
  • I celebrate my freedom to wear white pants and horizontal stripes.
  • I celebrate my freedom to blame designers—and not myself—when I can’t find clothes that fit.
  • I celebrate my freedom (and ability) to enjoy an active lifestyle.

Stars & Stripes Bar

(image source)

How are you celebrating July 4th?

What would you write in your Declaration of Independence?

Posted in Fitness | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Blog Readers’ Bill Of Rights (Blogging Tips For Beginners)

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Coco

A Bill Of Rights With Blogging Tips For Beginners

File:Bill of Rights Pg1of1 AC.jpg We, the blog readers of the blogosphere, hold these truths to be self-evident:

  • That our time is valuable, so we should not be held captive by blog pages that are obstructed with pop-up ads that float across the page.
  • That our comments are worthy, so they should not be subject to the whims of the evil captcha empire.
  • That our reading time may be stolen while children nap, bosses blather, or family members watch t.v., so it should not be broadcast with background music.

What rights do you want bloggers to respect?

Share you other blogging tips for beginners! 

Posted in Life | Tagged | 16 Comments

Fitting It All In

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Coco

The good news is that my physical therapist has cleared me for some short runs (up to 4 miles). 🙂 The bad news is that I still have about 45 minutes of physical therapy exercises I need to do every day. It was one thing to get up at 5:00 am to fit in a walk and some strengthening exercises, but figuring out how to work in a run and still get to work at a reasonable hour presents a real challenge.

I am not supposed to do my physical therapy exercises on a day that I have physical therapy, so one option is to run on those days.  My appointments are at 7:30 am, so I will have to be very efficient to fit in a run and a shower and get all my stuff together for the day before I have to leave the house at 7:15.

On Friday, I did it all before work, including walking the dog.

I had to sacrifice my morning Twitter/Facebook/Blog time and get breakfast at Starbucks, so it’s not an ideal schedule, but I did get to work on time.

https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/218683104418725888

One option would be to do my exercises in the evenings, but I know myself too well to even consider that as a realistic option. By the time I get home from work and fix dinner I am ready to collapse. I certainly don’t have the energy for 45 minutes of planks and glute bridges. 😉I am pretty sure that my best option is to get out of bed with my first alarm (no snooze-button!) and cut down on dilly-dallying.

I also am figuring out how to work in my FitFluential time. I am loving the FitFluential community (if you are interested in becoming a FitFluential Ambassador, you can find information and the application here) and am discovering great new blogs, but I could easily spend all day trying to keep up (which I learned the hard way when I was “working at home last week”–oops!). I have decided to read/comment on three new FitFluential blog posts a day, and only read more after my own work and blogging is done.

Do you have a new routine for the summer?

Do you have to impose limits on your blogging and social media time?

Posted in Fitness | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments