It’s Tuesday, so that means I am linking up with Patty, Erika & Marsha for Tuesday’s on the Run. With each passing day I become more anxious to flip the calendar over and see the numbers 2018, because I know (okay, maybe more like HOPE) I can finally put that nonexistent 2017 run year behind and get back to the matter of preparing to cross a certain distance off my bucket list.  I have been actively seeking ways to follow my orders of RICE and keep from NOT beginning to pound the pavement even though the hip pain from the bursitis is subsiding and the weather is unseasonably warm.

Last week while searching for ways to deepen my spiritual faith during the upcoming Advent season, I came across a blog link for #catholicwomenrun. Intrigued I clicked on the link…

Advent offers us the opportunity to deepen our faith and explore new spiritual practices as we prepare for the great Christian feast of Christmas. What if your spiritual practice this year was training for a race? Together, the #CatholicWomenRun team is committing to 12 weeks of running and daily prayers connected to each run!

Includes:

* 12 week training plan of your choice (5k, 10k, or half marathon)* Prayers to correspond to each running day* Reflection questions* A printable journal to write about the experience * Support + Love with a community of Catholic women!

Wow, pretty much like it was custom made just for me, plus it’s free!

Now I know technically I have not been cleared to run, but I am allowed to walk a few times each week for 1-2 purposeful miles and I have learned the lesson of not going from 0 to 13.1 as fast as I can… So why not walk instead of run the first few weeks and look towards a 5k in 12 weeks?  Sounds like a win both spiritually and physically.

Motivated I signed up and although like running, it’s free, however I certainly had to mark the occasion with a few “necessities”.  I purchased a new FitBit Alta HR as my poor zip finally crashed and died soon after I returned from Walt Disney World last month…I think it was in shock from being used too much in 1 week after 11 months of sitting in a drawer.  Call it an early Christmas present to myself along.  There is also a new pair of walking shoes, coupled with my custom orthodic inserts should get me through a few weeks of walking until I can get to the “BIG CITY” and get a proper fitting for some new run shoes.

True to my personality, I copied off a calendar, made a training plan and found a 5K that would fit at the end of 12 weeks and started my Advent journey….

You can follow along on my personal Instagram account @one_interval_at_a_time (don’t forget my Disney Instsgram @mylifeinars).

So here is to looking forward to these last few weeks of 2017 with a few walking miles!