Running…

I’m getting nauseous at the very thought of it.  Every once in a while I think it’s a great idea to try running for exercise.  After all, people run full marathons…it can’t be that bad if a person can run 26.2 miles without stopping. 

The last time I ran, I walked into the gym and much to my dismay the only piece of unoccupied exercise equipment  was a treadmill.  I much prefer the elliptical.   It breaks up the bounciness of running and for someone who doesn’t love to exercise it at least keeps me from feeling like I’m in a never-ending torture chamber.  On this particular one treadmill open day I climbed on and started a brisk walk to warm up.  Treadmills bore me out of my ever-loving mind!  You’re on them forever and the number of calories burnt climbs slower than a turtle up a tree. Torture. Chamber.  To add some variety and try to break up the mundane of brisk treadmill walking, slow-climbing burnt calories, I decided to pick up the pace a little.  I turned the speed up until I got to a comfortable jogging pace. Wait, wait, wait.  That’s a total oxymoron. Comfortable jogging?!  I started out thinking, “This isn’t so bad. I really should make myself run more. Why don’t I do this more often?”  My optimism started to fade when the bouncing and my stomach ganged up me.  “Oh no. Here I go…the same feeling I get every time I run. I’m going to die.”  I looked down and thought I'd been running for at least five minutes.  Wait. What?! There was no way…those red numbers on that torture machine had to be wrong. It said I had been at a jogging pace for 2.5 minutes.  I had two choices.
1. Stop now and save the contents of  my stomach or 2. Keep going and vomit all over {a very full} Grapevine Activities Center.  I, of course, chose the former. I jumped off the torture machine and willed myself not to lose my stomach contents.

Now that you know how terrible running is for me, you must know how amazing I think people who can run long distances are.  Besides being a great physical feat, to run long distances or really any distance for that matter, speaks volumes of a persons will and strength to me.  I really know nothing about running since I find it torturous, but I’ve heard more running talk over the past five months than I ever thought I would.  I’ve become interested, intrigued, and amazed by the power and passion of a few long distance runners who have chosen to use their gifts to raise awareness and support for the people of Haiti. 

Beth McHoul, founder and director of Heartline Maternity Center, and sista midwife is training to run the Boston Marathon. Her run is one of passion and love for the people of Haiti.  She’s running to raise awareness and funds for literacy, for education, and for maternal health. At Heartline our mission is to intentionally walk alongside impoverished men, women, and children in Haiti, meeting critical physical, emotional, financial, educational, and most importantly - spiritual needs.   

 Will you join me in supporting Beth as she trains on the roads of Port-au-Prince and runs for the people of Haiti?

If you want to read an amazing running story that will bring tears to your eyes and spark a little passion in your soul, read about Run for Life Haiti.  Barry ran 315 miles across Haiti in twelve days!  His goal: to raise support and awareness to provide the women of Haiti with quality healthcare.