Reflections from Tuesday

This post is not at all related to running, but I can't sit by and pretend that the events of this past Tuesday didn't have a profound impact on me. I was at an all-day training for work on Tuesday, but while we had lunch, they turned on the TV so that we could watch President Obama's inauguration speech. I was very moved by it and despite being in a room with over a dozen other people, I felt tears welling up in my eyes several times listening to our new President speak. I truly believe in him and sense in him a power that can lead him to greatness. I loved the first line of his speech (paraphrased): my fellow citizens, I stand before you today humbled at the task that lies before us. No hooray for me I'm the first African-American President, or any other egocentric rhetoric. From the beginning, his speech set the tone of let's roll up our sleeves and get to work as we've got a lot of work to do. I love that about him.

On Wednesday morning, I was up before the sun came up and I felt compelled to do something that I don't do very often - I prayed. I prayed for our new President's safety and the safety of his family and I prayed for him to be given the wisdom to lead our country strongly and justly. I watched the sun peek up over the horizon the same as it does every day, but somehow this sunrise seemed different; more hopeful perhaps. You could sense a change in the air; a feeling of hope and optimism that was almost palpable. As I stood there, a feeling of profound joy came over me and I felt inspired to write down my thoughts. Here is what I wrote:

January 21st: I awoke before dawn on this clear, cold January morning with a renewed spirit and a fresh hope not just for this nation, but for the whole world. We are now led by a man who overcame all odds to be our 44th President; making history in the process. A man who has the ability to move your spirit with his words and rally you to action with his sheer conviction. It is my sincere hope that the people of this nation can put aside their petty differences and stand as one behind Barack Obama; a figure poised to lead this country back toward greatness. Because greatness isn't a destination, but a journey, and our new President is marshaling his forces to create real change for the better and to address the daunting challenges that face us all. God bless Barack Obama.

Got Running?

The answer for me right now is: yes I do. I am in my 3rd week of consistent running. I started the first week with 10 miles (3, 3 and 4) and then progressed to 12 miles (3, 4 and 5) last week. This week, I am scheduled to run 14 miles (4, 4 and 6). I ran four miles on Wednesday on the track and the treadmill at the gym and I'm planning to do four miles outside on Friday and then six miles on Sunday. I plan to add about two miles each week to my total until I hit twenty miles per week. At that point, I am going to start looking for a goal race and I'll begin training.

It's amazing the difference that running makes. I have more energy, seem to need less sleep, I feel better and I haven't had a headache for several weeks. There for a while, I was getting headaches nearly every day.