12 miles....

Last Sunday after church, what has become our usual Sunday routine, took place. Got home from church, shoved as many carbs as I could find into my mouth, kissed A goodbye and headed out for a run. That day was a 12 miler. I had only ran 12 miles three times in mile life; the three half marathons I completed. So to say I was a little nervous was an understatement. A and I agreed on some places to meet so he could pass off some water for me, mile 4, mile 6 and then again at mile 9 where he would run the last three dreaded miles.

Let me take this moment to thank my hunka hunka burning love husband for all of his support and love. He isn't running this marathon with me, but without him I wouldn't be able to do it. Thank you A, you little Jamaican sprinter, you! I love you!

I was excited because I had a new route to explore. As I took off for the first four miles everything seemed to be going well. I passed A, took a sip of water and kept going. I got to go downhill for about 3/4 of a mile....sing it with me....PRAISE THE LORD, HALLELUJAH! Again....PRAISE THE LORD, HALLELUJAH!

As I came around to Alki I was far past mile 6, no A. Uh oh, I needed him, not so much the water, but him. I kept going, but nothing. Every car that passed I looked to see if it was him, nope. Then I remember he said something to me as I passed him at mile four that sounded a lot like, "K babe see you at the end of your run!" I didn't think anything of it at the time, but now I was getting worried. Could I survive 6 more miles by myself, with no water? Well we were about to find out.

I called out to Jesus constantly through this run, "Lord please give me strength in my legs and lungs," "Lord please I beg of You to get me up this hill," "Lord thank You for the ability to run." My prayers went from that to, "Lord please allow me to NOT throw up right now." I prayed that every 5 minutes for the last hour of my run. I have never had stomach issues while running, but these were some major issues. I had cramping and had waves of nauseousness. Oh boy it was bad. But the Lord was so faithful and by the end of my prayer the feeling was gone.

Finally at around 8.5 miles, with my head down some JERK jumped right in front of me. HELLLLLLLOOOOO? Did he not see that I was barely hanging on to every last ounce of sanity and energy I had left. The when I finally decided I was going to look up and politely tell him to get the H, E, Double Hockey sticks OUT OF MY WAY I realized, it was MY Jamaican runner. Where had he been all my life...okay maybe only the last couple miles? He told me I had a great pace going (probably a lie, considering he was just about walking next to me while I was "running") and that the time he estimated, I had already passed that location. He gave me some water and ran with me.

I was struggling so bad I didn't think I could keep going. But somehow I did and at mile 12 I looked down at my legs, bright red from the wind, muscles about to start seizing if I didn't stretch. "Good job legs" I told them. "Thank You Jesus, thank You, I love You." As I remained silent, still trying to catch my breath and tell my stomach to CALM DOWN, A looked at me, "hey we should have just kept going; one more mile and you could have completed a half marathon!"

Has my Jamaican-hunka-hunka-burning-love-runner-husband gone completely crazy....why yes, yes I do believe he has....

Lord You are so good, so amazing. Lord I thank You for who You are to me, to the world and to eternity. Lord I ask that you soften the hearts of the people who read this who don't know You. Lord give me the boldness to talk to them. Oh Lord, thank You for the ability to run. Lord my I never take it for granted. Lord thank You for ability to worship You, may that never be taken for granted by anyone. I love You Lord, Amen.

EWWWWW....

Warning...do not scroll down if you hate feet, gross stuff, blisters, bad pedicures, and straight up nastiness.

So first, I am horrible at taking pictures. So the following pictures do not do justice to what my feet actually look like. Second, only a two people have ever seen my feet like this...A and well, me. So this is a huge step for me. Third, I have never been into getting routine pedicures, I actually only get them when I go on vaca, which when you are a poor post college student going to grad school piling on even more debt, isn't very often.

After my six mile run yesterday I took off my shoes while still recovering from my six mile run, that went pretty well I must say! I looked down and AKKKKK! What have my feet come to? Oh so gross I couldn't even handle it, so I decided to take some pictures and share them with you! I have yet to lose any toenails, but don't you worry if that happens you will be the first to know!

This beautiful picture is of my middle toe. Isn't that a sight for sore eyes? This one doesn't hurt at all. It just sits there and sings "I'm so beautiful, yes I am!" Sidenote: look to the right of my foot...my little toe is PURPLE! I am afraid it might fall off one of these days.

Okay so this LOVELY picture are the "hot spots" I have on the side of my feet. They aren't blisters but if you touch them within 2 hours of running, they will burn your whole foot off! Okay maybe being a little bit of a drama queen...but you get the picture. Oh they kill. I can feel these the most while running. I love them...NOT!


This lovely thing is the inside of my toe. Isn't it so pretty? It is actually the aftermath of a HUGE blister gone wrong. I won't tell that story, I still want you to love me. But please still note, my PURPLE little toe.

Well now that you have been totally grossed out, will you still be my friend? I can understand if you don't want to be, those pictures were some of the grossest I have seen in a LONG time.

But you know what? Those feet get me places, the allow me to run undesired amounts of miles, they have walked me down the aisle and help me run through Disneyworld trying to get FastPasses for 8 different family members. These feet have seen a lot, they have done a lot. They are one of the most useful parts of my body.

I think God thinks of us this way too. We might see ourselves as this nasty person who God could never use, but He can, HE does! He put us on this earth for a reason, no matter how banged up and ugly we might be. He is trying to use us if we just let Him. We are the useful parts of His body!

Jesus, thank You for reminding me of this! I love You!

What in the wild wild world of sports have I done?

Well it's official: I signed up for the Rock in Roll FULL Marathon. Below is the email I received just minutes ago:

"Congratulations - You’re In!

Welcome to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. You are officially a member of a very auspicious club and about to embark on a life changing journey. We are honored to be a part of it.

Please visit runrocknroll.com for important event information and travel details that will help your race experience not only ROCK, but run smoothly.
Brooks, our official footwear and apparel sponsor, wants to congratulate you on your race registration. You’ve taken a big first step, and Brooks wants to help ensure that your Rock ‘n’ Roll journey is smooth and injury-free.
Head to your local specialty running shop, where an expert can assess your stride and prescribe the perfect Brooks running shoe for your needs. No store near you? Check out the online shoe advisor at brooksrunning.com. And above all, Run Happy®!

We look forward to seeing you and sharing an incredible experience. Good luck with your training.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series Team"

Below is how I read the email and the thought process I had (you will see that in red):

Congratulations - You’re In! Oh crap! Really? I don't want to do this anymore. Someone save me.

Welcome to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. You are officially a member of a very auspicious club and about to embark on a life changing journey. Yea, life changing as in I want to change my life right now and not do this! We are honored to be a part of it. Oh I bet you are. I will be the one crying the whole time, asking your nice volunteers to help push me up the hills.

Please visit runrocknroll.com for important event information and travel details that will help your race experience not only ROCK oh something will be rockin' alright, but run smoothly I don't think I have ever finished any amount of mileage of run and thought to myself "well that went smoothly".

Brooks, our official footwear and apparel sponsor, wants to congratulate you on your race registration. You’ve taken a big first step, and Brooks blah blah blah...I know what you are trying to do...but I will not buy your shoes...I already have my own...so there! wants to help ensure that your Rock ‘n’ Roll journey is smooth and injury-free HA! Shoes will not help me be "injury free" I know that for sure.

Head to your local specialty running shop, where an expert can assess your stride and prescribe the perfect Brooks running shoe for your needs. No store near you? Check out the online shoe advisor at brooksrunning.com. And above all, Run Happy® Let me ask you Brooks...are you happy when you run? Or do you want to quit and call for your hunk a hunk burning hubby to come pick you up EVERY mile? Because if you are happy....I slightly hate you!

We look forward to seeing you and sharing an incredible experience Not quite sure this will go under the "incredible experience" category of my life...but who knows. Good luck with your training (and don't forget to breathe and don't complain as much as this Shelby girl does...it really isn't good for your running psyhcee) Hey I heard that!.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series Team AKA your worst nightmare!

Well there is no going back now. Since marrying into a Dutch family, I have learned there is no wasting ANY money, not even a penny, so I payed way too much money to do this...I have to do this.

Tomorrow: 6 miles...shouldn't be too shabby...let you know how it goes!

Sorry! I am back!

After a three day break of no running, I climbed onto the treadmill this morning for a three mile wake up call. I am not even sure my eyes were open, maybe just little slits so I could see the magazine in front of me. By the way, that is one of the nicest things about running on a treadmill, you can flip the TV to whatever channel you want, my usual choice, Joyce and Brad on King 5 News, and sweat all over a gossip magazine. These are probably the only two benefits of running on a treadmill, yes I actually know those are the only two.

Last Friday I thought I would run my long run after work, so I wouldn't have to do it on Saturday. A and I had a fun day planned and I didn't want running to ruin it, because it would have. Trust me, it just would have. So after work I take a peek outside...POURING RAIN...I mean dumping. I literally stood in my hallway contemplating just going to the gym or actually going out in that monsoon for 5 minutes. And then I heard a little birdy, "if it is pouring on race day, you still have to run it." FINE little birdy I will go out and freeze and get drenched. Oh yay I can't wait!

But sure enough, ten minutes later I was layered and layered again in clothing and started out on my run. 10 miles, not too shabby, but I wanted to change my course. I am so bored with my usual route. So as I continued to get more and more wet I approached the Admiral Junction in WS took a Larry (aka Left) and headed down toward Alki. As I started running down this wonderful mile long hill I knew I was in trouble for getting back UP to the Admrial Junction. But I couldn't think about that now, I was too busy dodging branches, leaves, and rocking out to "Single Ladies". :) Then all of a sudden, no more rain, SUNSHINE! What in the H-E-Double hockey sticks is going on here, I thought. So of course, I started to sweat like a mad woman, because of my so many layers. I got down to Alki ran along the path and took a Ralph (aka Right) on California, the .5 mile MOUNTAIN! I decided I would walk up the hill so my shins didn't split right in half, because they would have. And as soon as I started walking, DOWN POUR AGAIN! It was raining so much harder then the last time. Oh boy, now what do I do? I got to the top, thought about the Nike shirt I saw "If I stop running how will I get home?" and started running. Side note: I did actually calculate how long it would take A to take the bus home, get in his truck and come and get me if I sat in the Starbucks next to the top of hill. At the end of calculations I figured out I could run 5 more miles and still beat him home. The rain was so bad it got in my eyes and was making my mascara run down my face. I knew I was looking extra sexy when the woman running on the OTHER side of the road did a double take of me. Nothing like a jolly green giant looking like a drowned rat, plus mascara running down my face, PRICELESS.

I finished 8 miles. At mile 8 I was right next to my house, the plan was to keep going and make a 2 mile loop, but there was no more gas in my tank. The rain had taken it all away.

Someone once told me, you don't need endurance until you feel like quitting. Wow does that ever ring true in my life! Running and my relationship with Jesus hold those to be most true. As you have read, I pretty much contemplate quitting running every mile of every run. I am usually so mentally exhausted by then end of my runs because of this daily fight that happens in my head, "quit, don't quit, quit, don't quit". Oh sometimes it's too much!

Although I have never thought to myself, "I am going to quit my relationship with Jesus" I sure do dumb stuff, sinful stuff that would make that seem like that is what I am doing. We all will have this amazing LONG term relationship with Jesus and at times it will be so hard, the devil will be so persistence that it doesn't feel like you have any other option then to just stop, to live as the world lives.

But let me tell you something, I don't know much, but I do know this, hope never fails. Jesus is the ultimate hope. When the world has been turned dark, Jesus is our hope. When nothing seems to be like it is, Jesus is our hope. No matter how much you love someone and trust them, Jesus loves you more. Jesus reminds us to have endurance and to have hope in Him. Oh such a good lesson on this Tuesday! LOVE IT!

I love you Jesus!

Julia Grace...

She's here!

Julia Grace Lehmann was born this morning at 9:10am weight 8lbs 1 oz and was 20 inches long! I just talked to the mommy on the phone and she is elated and Julia even said hello, well cried, but give the girl a break she is only an hour old. Aaron and I are on a plane the minutes the Lehmanns' give us the thumbs up.

Pray that Alex and Sara feel God's love and affection for them at this special time and that Julia continues to progress, like a healthy baby girl should. Pray the Lord gives Sara and Alex strength during this time of no sleep.

Praise Jesus for Julia! Pictures are to come!

PS...no running today. I will do my 10 miler tomorrow after work so A and I can celebrate V-day all day on Saturday!

ITS GO TIME!!!!!

Hi everyone! Who knows who actually reads this...but I have exciting news! My sister-in-law is in labor!! It is go time for little Julia Grace to arrive in this world. Praise Jesus. I will keep you posted on all the updates and pictures. They are in LA so we will sure be planning a trip soon. Pray for a safe delivery for Sara and Julia. Pray that their little Lehmann family is surrounded by support and love in this beautiful time.

There are so many things to be happy for right now. Some I will go into detail a little later, but one of them is I did finish the 6 miler today, even in the rain...booo!

I promise...one of these days I will tell you about the ladies at the gym. There is just too much going on right now! :)

Much better!

Oh goodness was today's running better then yesterdays! Thank goodness!!! I climbed onto the torture trap that is the treadmill again this morning, set "go" on my watch and began running. No egg in the throat today, no knee pain, nothing. Just a normal three mile run. Thank You Jesus! I continued to call out to Him this morning to give me strength in my legs and air in my lungs and you know what? He did!

Tomorrow will be a 6 mile run. I will keep you posted on how it goes. Maybe tomorrow I will finally paint a picture of all the people in the gym I see almost every morning. Oh what a beautiful picture it will be! Side note...this morning I went to the gym a little later and saw the women I usually see next to me on the treadmill, in the locker room getting ready for work. Wow do people look different after a shower and some mascara! I know I do. It is a scary scary sight if you see me at 5:45 am at the gym. If you ever do, I am so so sorry.

On Sunday while watching the Super Bowl I was flipping through a Real Simple. Meg had said she had already read that one and there was some great articles in there. I was flipping through and one caught my eye, well more the picture caught me eye. It was a woman running. She had the same arm warmers on that I had and was wearing a University of Texas hat. She was extremely fit, one of those "real runners" I have talked about earlier. As I started to read the article I was shocked at what the article was actually about. This beautiful runner who I thought was my age was actually a 40 something year old mother of three teenage daughters with a demanding career. She was a distance runner but had never run a full marathon, but it was on her "to-do" list. She has MS, which had been at bay for more then 17 years, never causing many problems.

One day she went in for a routine check up for her MS and they found a small lump in her lung. The doctor proceeded to tell her there was a 95% chance it was cancer and that they would remove the upper part of her lung. She asked if she would be able to run again and the doctor, not knowing she was a distance runner, said she would be running no marathons. This shook her to the core of who she was and she decided she needed to run a marathon...now, before her surgery, just three weeks from that date. She and her hometown made their own marathon. No one but her ran the whole thing, but many people ran legs of it with her. She finished this marathon in 4 hours and 8 minutes, an outstanding time!

A week later she went in for surgery and as the doctors was elbow deep in her body he realized it was not cancer in her lungs, but a mere infection. When she woke up the doctor told her the good news. She was grateful that she didn't have cancer but wondered how she got so lucky. She realized all that she could do-like run a marathon!- and how much support she actually had.

Wow! What a story. If you were diagnosed with cancer today, what would you HAVE to do before you went in for surgery? This woman had to run a marathon.

As I read her story I couldn't help but think about what would I HAVE to do. What have I been putting off that would need to be done. There is no question that there have been a couple of people who have known me for a couple years now, and I have never been bold enough to outright share the gospel. Sure I have talked about church and what I was learning and about why I went to Italy for 5 weeks and why I was part of a little group called KB in college. But have I ever asked them where they think they are going after the die? No. Have I ever been bold enough to share my complete testimony? Nope. Have I ever asked them, "do you want to give your life to Jesus?" Negative.

Although this article never mentioned God once, it sure inspired me to think a lot about why I was put on this earth. My new goal....share the gospel with these couple of people who I truly do love...now.

Bad Day

There is only so much to say today.

This morning I hopped on the treadmill, I put it to its normal speed, set my watch and started to run. This was just a small 3 mile run just to get back into things. I hadn't run all that weekend because we were in Pullman having way too much fun. I got to mile 1 and my knee was killing me, my legs refused to keep going and it felt like there was an egg stuck in my windpipe. So I stopped walked a little bit and then started running again. I couldn't go more then 1/2 a mile. It was so embarrassing and frustrating. I almost cried leaving the gym. How could I not be able to run 3 miles? I had run 10 just 5 days ago.

Oh how quickly Jesus reminds us that we need to keep our focus on Him. I often think "I can do this, I am strong enough, I can do this on my own." That is so horribly wrong I can't even stand to think about it anymore. I can run because of Jesus, I am strong enough because of Jesus, and He is giving me the opportunity to run. It has nothing to do with me.

Jesus I am so sorry that I said I could do it on my own, for even thinking of it. Thank You Jesus that You gave me the opportunity to run, but more specifically to have a relationship with You. I love You Jesus. Continue to remind me that I need You for EVERYTHING. Amen.

Thank you...

This morning before I climbed onto the treadmill I shuffled through all of the magazines at the gym. Today the racks were especially full. They must have known it was my birthday because I found TWO juicy, gossipy magazines. Yes these magazines are my guilty pleasure that I read only at the gym. Runs are a whole lot easier when you are reading about the latest trends or who married who. Who really cares, right? Right, but boy oh boy does it make miles go by a lot faster!

Birthdays are a weird thing as you get older. You start to realize all the people that have helped you get to where you are at this certain birthday; all the sacrifices people made to make sure you were happy and taken care of all of these years. It is a bit overwhelming when you start to process the love, patience, support and guidance that was given to get you to the next birthday.

But there are two people who deserve the most thanks. My mom and dad, 24 years ago today, welcomed me into this world and dedicated their lives to making sure I was well taken care of and loved. They taught me self respect, how to love others, to chase after your dreams and to listen to God. And one of the greatest things they did on birthdays was to make sure that I felt special. They never took birthdays for granted and always made sure to celebrate them in the biggest way.

It is clear that I would not be who I am today without the love and support that mom and dad offered me. So on my birthday I want to thank them for raising me. For helping me and supporting me. For giving me an amazing sister. For teaching me what it looks like to be a good spouse. And simply for loving me. There are millions of children around the world that don't have the parents that I did and and I don't want to miss this moment to thank them. And to thank Christ who knew they were my parents before even they knew.

Birthdays are great; they make you turn your head to the sky get down on your knees and thank our Savior that we are saved. And also loved by our parents here on earth and our father in Heaven.

Thank you mom, dad and Dad! I love you!

Wave goodbye!

I have been all too aware of injuring myself during this long journey to the start line of this marathon I am supposedly running. I have heard horror stories of people training for months and then it comes to the last week and snap, break, tweak, something happens. People are either put out of the marathon all together or have to end up walking it.

Listen to me people....if this ends up happening to me please find me, pull me out of the hole I will have found and tell me to stop crying. But seriously, does that not sound horrible! You train for months, your feet look like aliens, your muscles have done things no human should ever do and then BAM, you're hurt. Oh gosh, pray I don't get hurt.

I am telling this weird story to tell you one little thing...I did not run this morning. I walked and lifted weights. I walked to make sure I am not "pushing it", whatever that means. Tomorrow I will go for a birthday run something small like 3 or 4 miles. Just enough to sweat. I love sweating!!!! I know I am weird.

I came across this picture of me today. This was right before I was to plunge myself into Lake Washington to start the swim of the Danskin Triathlon (I am the one with my hands folded like I was in a prayer...well because guess what? I was praying...praying the Lord would keep be ABOVE water!). Let me tell you a little secret, I am more nervous in that picture then I will be at the start of the marathon. I just know it. And yes I have done the Danskin for years. YEARS people and I am still shaking and crying at that start line. With the water touching my toes I look around for anyone to just say, "hey lets sneak you over to the bike." But no one does and I end up dog paddling the whole way. And no year has gone by without crying in the water with only about 100 yards left. That is when the mill weed starts to touch me and well an ALL FREAK OUT starts to ensue. This year I got new goggles that didn't fog up when I cried. Bless those goggles.

But this picture was right before the announcer announces "Look to your fellow triathletes behind you and wave goodbye!" You see there are waves to this triathlon because of the massive amounts of women that do this. So there are always women behind you waiting to start. As the clock ticks down for your turn to take the plunge you wave goodbye to your fellow triathletes. Its kind of a cool way to say "goodbye, but I will see you at the finish."

Wow! What a telling story in an eternal sense. This year when I was "waving goodbye" I got a bit short of breath. I started to think of my mom. I pictured her leaving this earth on the wings of Christ, waving goodbye to all of us. When we were crumbling she knew she was waving goodbye for now but she would see us at the finish.

Christ knew the same thing when he rose on Easter. He was waving goodbye shouting to keep fighting, to run hard towards the finish line of life. He wants us to be the hands and feet of Himself, to share the beautiful news of his death and resurrection. And what is so beautiful about His wave goodbye was it wasn't even really a wave goodbye. He is still living life with us, every moment of everyday giving us the strength to keep sharing His good news. So now we just have to do it!

Oh how I love JESUS!

Just some thoughts

At church on Sunday morning I was taking notes on Richard's sermon about being fully transformed when we accept Jesus in our hearts. With a pen in one hand and my Bible and notes in another I looked at the underside of my wrist. It was so plain, so white, just some horrible florescent like blue veins running through. I decided it needed a little "decoration," maybe in the form of a tattoo? No not a real one (stop having a heart attack dad). But I felt inspired, so with my pen I wrote "JC" in a small font right where my wrist meets my hand. JC standing for Jesus Christ. I don't know why I put that, I was just inspired with this continued journey that we all go through to be more and more like Jesus. And oh how I needed that little reminder of Jesus later on that day.

After church, what has became the normal routine, was put into action: grocery store, small bite to eat, off the run. I was up for another 10 miles. "Oh joy" I thought, "10 glorious miles". Then I thought of my Meggie who used to tell me she would run 10 miles to get ready for half marathons, so she inspired me. Thanks Meg! I set off for my normal 10 mile loop. With a half egg roll in my belly I was ready to roll...NOT! Then I caught a glimpse of my wrist, JC. And I remembered, "Through Jesus all things are possible." So I kept running. The normal hills hurt, my hands tingled at mile 4.5 like they always do, forcing me to strip my gloves off causing another glimpse of JC. "Through Jesus all things are possible," I kept thinking. Mile 6 I was done, until I saw my Jamaican runner of a husband. He was ready to run the last 4 miles with me, he said I looked great....LIE! But the JC was magnified on my wrist at that point, "keep going" I thought. So I did, often to crying out to Aaron that I couldn't. "Through Jesus all things are possible," was the constant thought screaming out at me.

At one point I started to freak out. I think this was at mile 8.5, only a mile and half from home. I said out loud what was running through my mind the whole time, "If I can barely do this, there is no way I am going to be able to run a FULL marathon." My Jamaican runner of a husband heard me and turned around and told me "later Shelbs this will just feel like a warm-up!" OH MY GOSH! If this is going to be my warm-up I am so DUNZO! I almost started to laugh at that point, but I was reminded quickly of when I used to try to make my Ratty laugh when we would go on runs, and she would scream at me, "stop trying to make me laugh! It takes too much energy to laugh! Stop it!" Good advice Ratty, no laughing, too much energy.

But before I knew it, I was back at home, riding the elevator to our apartment. I made sure I stretched (bad experience the Friday before with 6 miles, no stretching....crying ensued 3 hours later). I then proceeded to eat like a cow. I need to figure out how NOT to eat like a cow after these runs, or I will start to look like a cow, great legs and HUGE everywhere else. Not good! After eating, eating and more eating I hobbled to the shower, and basically fell in. And yet again I caught another glimpse of JC. And again I thought, "Through Jesus all things are possible."

Wow, maybe I should get a tattoo of "JC" on my wrist. Maybe I should freaking get it tattooed on my forehead. Because if I could remember "through Jesus all things are possible" that many times during my hour and half run, how many times could I remember it if it were there all the time? And no I am not going to get a tattoo, but I do need to remember that way more often then I do. Through hard times at work, in relationships, ect. Even through great things, Jesus' all encompassing power needs to be in the forefront of my mind.

I looked up what the definition of amazing was and here is what it says, "So remarkable as to elicit disbelief." If you take that definition and say that Jesus has amazing power in all circumstances I think we would all get a better understanding of just who He is. "Through Jesus all things are possible." Wow, thank You Jesus for who You are to me and to the rest of this world. Thank You!

Just some thoughts I had today...