so here's the deal. i know i'm going to have up days and down days during this whole "training for a half-marathon" business...but let me just say...I HATE THE DOWN DAYS! i was supposed to run 4 miles today. i didn't. my legs were just too tired. i wasn't having trouble breathing...which is good...and i was loving the music in my ears...but my legs were just done.

i know i should be proud of how far i DID run...and i am...but there is this nagging feeling that i am never going to be able to finish a half-marathon in 3ish months when i can't even finish 4 miles. see. i told you i hate the down days.

seems to me that someone is trying to make me give up. but i won't. because someone BIGGER and STRONGER is going to run right next to me...He may even have to carry me a little, but He's going to make sure i finish. yep. i will finish :)

so NOT a runner

"I will run...I will run this race...and I will do it all for LOVE. Your love compels me forward, your love controls my heart and I just cannot get away." ~ lyrics by Kristene Mueller

So...I'm running a half-marathon. For real. In March. Got my ticket. Got my registration. Started training. I'm really going to do this. WHAT?! yeah. crazy. Here are the details:

Race ~ Disney Princess Half-Marathon
Place ~ Walt Disney World...Orlando, FL
Date ~ March 7, 2010
Time ~ 6am...that's 3am for all of us left-coasters ;)
Reason ~ To raise money for my friends ~ The Rogers ~ who are on a waiting list to adopt a precious princess from an orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Pretty fun, right?! I'm asking for people to give me money...$500 of which I will use for my own expenses...and the rest of which will go to the Rogers before I leave for Orlando...to run 13.1 miles around DisneyWorld. :)

I'm blessed to have two awesome ladies joining me...one is an old friend from my summer at Cannon Beach Conference Center...the other is a new friend from one of my hotel jobs. We all live in different places so we won't be training together, but we've all started training and I know it's going to help me stay motivated.

There's definitely more to the story...I didn't just "get a wild hair" as my friend Sara says...but suffice it to say that God's got His hands all over this adventure and I can't wait to see what happens!

I'll be sharing more in the coming months...updating my progress from time to time...possibly complaining about the monotony of running on a treadmill...and definitely giving thanks for the treadmill as I watch the snow fall to the ground outside the gym window! :)

I went for my first run on that particular treadmill today - my 4th run since beginning last week - and all I can say is...I need to figure out how to program the darn thing so it doesn't stop after 20 minutes!! Now for some sleep :)

what it all means...

how many times have you thought about your name...and what it really means? admittedly, i hadn't thought much about it...until a couple of days ago. my dear friend alicia did a "name study" on the meanings of the names of her immediate family. i was so intrigued by it, that i decided to do a little research on my name. i loved what i found and thought i'd share it on blog world :)

René ~ reborn

Leann ~ combination of Lee and Ann ~
Lee ~ sheltered from the storm
Ann ~ gracious

Lewis ~ famous warrior

hee hee...still makes me giddy inside...just thinking about my purpose and all that God has for me. :)