I am officially registered to run my first race!
Some background information: I am not a runner. I'm one of those people who look at runners and think, "Gee, wouldn't it be great if I could run like that? Wouldn't it be nice if I actually liked running? That will never be me." Sometimes I would attempt to go running with my sister at Lake Elizabeth and she would virtually run circles around me as I gasped for breath, telling me to "Suck it up and run to the next tree." :)
There's a group of my friends here in Germany who sign up to run races in Basel, Switzerland about twice a year. The race lengths vary; some do the shorter ones, and there are those who run the full marathons. Last year I kept thinking to myself, "I wish I could run a race with them. It would be so fun, and what a great way to get in shape." Which is why, when a friend of mine approached me and asked if I'd like to sign up with her for our first run, I heartily said yes. Both of us have never run a race before, and at the end of September will be completing a 10k in Basel. I was counting on it being a 5k, seeing as it's my first race, but apparently the runners here are a bit more serious and the 10k is the shortest race offered. So that's what we're going to do!
So far things have been going well. There's a nice semi-flat trail near my house that we've been using in the mornings, and if we go early we don't have to share it with too many bikers. The bikers are generally nice and ding their little bells to let us know they're coming, and they always say, "Guten Morgen (Good morning)" as they pass. Except for this one older guy who rode by us, turned his face around as he passed and said, "Langsam!" which means "slow". Hmph.
I would love it if you would pray for me and this experience-I'm excited, but a bit nervous. We're planning on running as much as we can, but since we don't have a large amount of time to prepare, we're planning on walking a bit as needed. Please pray that we can increase our stamina, keep injuries at bay, and have a good time! It helps to have some more experienced runners joining us for our runs in the morning, and giving us tips/encouragement. Also, if you have any tips, I would love to hear them! Please feel free to email me at amy.collins@teachbeyond.org.
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| My friends Allison, Justina, and Rachel after our run in the rain this morning. |
"...but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 :)
