Cindy and I have been on vacation for the past two weeks. We traveled to Germany to visit friends we've met over the years. We were in Freiburg in southwestern Germany for 4 days with Martin and Ursula and in and around Bonn and Cologne for 5 days with Wiebke, Udo and Katrin. In order to stay on track with my marathon training I did training runs in Freiburg, Bonn, Monchen-Gladbach and Dusseldorf. My long run for that week was a 17-miler, which I ran along the Rhein river in Bonn. Cindy and Katrin rode their bicycles along with me for the 3 hours and 10 minutes it took me to run that far and Katrin ran the last 3 miles with me, which was great for my motivation. I felt great when we finished that run and continue to be amazed that I'm actually doing these runs at all.
The greatest adventure of my running efforts in Germany was the morning I got lost in downtown Freiburg. I was trying to get in an 8 mile run and I took a few too many twists and turns and couldn't retrace my steps. Fortunately, I had the address and region of the city where I was staying written down on a piece of paper so that the people I asked for help were able to steer me in the right direction. Miraculously, I arrived back at Martin and Ursuala's just as my GPS unit indicated 8 miles. I was really proud of myself for remaining calm in an unfamiliar place despite a language barrier and no identification or money to take a cab or make a phone call. I learned an important lesson, too, about running in unfamiliar places - always take a little money, a phone number and your passport just in case!
When I got home I found an email from Bryan Sirchio with links to some videos showing the efforts that have been underway in Cite Soleil to rebuild the Community School of Cite Soleil. Funds that we've collected through Haiti Partners, MCC were used to help with the rebuilding of the school so I'm including the link to those videos in case you're interested in seeing how your support of my marathon efforts is being used. Thank you, again from the bottom of my heart for your generosity and support for me but most importantly for the people of Haiti. Here's the link:
http://www.haitipartners.org/2010/04/school-in-session-cite-soleil-community-school/ (You may have to cut and paste this into your browser since I'm not technologically advanced enough to actually make it into a link!)
The greatest adventure of my running efforts in Germany was the morning I got lost in downtown Freiburg. I was trying to get in an 8 mile run and I took a few too many twists and turns and couldn't retrace my steps. Fortunately, I had the address and region of the city where I was staying written down on a piece of paper so that the people I asked for help were able to steer me in the right direction. Miraculously, I arrived back at Martin and Ursuala's just as my GPS unit indicated 8 miles. I was really proud of myself for remaining calm in an unfamiliar place despite a language barrier and no identification or money to take a cab or make a phone call. I learned an important lesson, too, about running in unfamiliar places - always take a little money, a phone number and your passport just in case!
When I got home I found an email from Bryan Sirchio with links to some videos showing the efforts that have been underway in Cite Soleil to rebuild the Community School of Cite Soleil. Funds that we've collected through Haiti Partners, MCC were used to help with the rebuilding of the school so I'm including the link to those videos in case you're interested in seeing how your support of my marathon efforts is being used. Thank you, again from the bottom of my heart for your generosity and support for me but most importantly for the people of Haiti. Here's the link:
http://www.haitipartners.org/2010/04/school-in-session-cite-soleil-community-school/ (You may have to cut and paste this into your browser since I'm not technologically advanced enough to actually make it into a link!)
This past Saturday, my long run was only 13 miles so I planned to just run through the Arboretum twice and add a final mile on at the end. As I ran through this Madison treasure I realized how grateful I am to live in such a beautiful place and to have such a wonderful, peaceful, amazing place to run in and enjoy year round. While I ran and enjoyed the beautiful spring morning I chanted these words:
"You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever." (Psalm 30:11-12)
As I meditated on this text I realized that the process of training for this marathon has awakened something in me - a level of confidence, a sense of joy, a desire to give thanks and praise for the wonders of my body and the beauty of the world in which I live and move, run and breathe. As I enter the decade of my 40s in the best shape of my life and with a growing sense that if I can run 26.2 miles on May 30 I can just about do anything, I am looking forward to continuing to see what God has in store for me and my life.
Thanks be to you, O God, for this amazing, beautiful world in which we live - Madison and Germany, Aruba and Haiti and so many other wonderful places. Thanks be to you, O God, for the joy of running and training and learning and growing. Thanks be to you, O God, for the love and care of so many bringing hope and new life to the children of the Community School of Cite Soleil, to their families and the wider community. Thanks be to you, O God, for life and for love. Amen.
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