Running

I'm running again! After I finished playing sports in high school/college I talked myself into taking up running for exercise. At first it was definitely something I had to make myself do and tell myself I was going to enjoy it. I started running with friends and going consistently. Three and a half years later I can honestly say that I enjoy running and I've made some of my closest friends through it. Not everyone can talk and run at the same time; myself, I've been given a special gift to gab and run simultaneously. Talking distracts me from the running and the time flies by. I enjoy the consistent times to catch up and process with friends. I like the accountability of running with others. 

When I moved to Kenya I was jumping from village to village, figuring out a new town "in the middle of Africa" and didn't get into a running routine. I asked around for people who were interested in running with me but came up with nothing. I even had some girl friends tell me they didn't want to run because they didn't want to "reduce" (lose weight)! It's good for Maasai ladies to be curvy and have a little... sometimes a lot, of meat on their bones =) 

A few weeks ago I met 2 new friends through my teammate Carol. Both guys, one in high school and one in college, were runners! Over the last few weeks I've been training with Johanna and Jackson on a dirt track at a university near my apartment. Johanna is a super-star, and is one fast Maasai! The other day he ran 10,ooo metres in 32 minutes (that's like 6 miles in 32 min! He ran 2 miles in under 8 minutes--I can't run one mile in 8 min! not that that is saying much)in addition to the 2 hours of running he'd done in the morning. Right now Johanna is at a month of camp for exceptional Kenyan athletes. Carol and I are hoping that Johanna can get a scholarship to go to university, even in the US (connections anyone?). For the time being, though, Johanna is helping me train (he makes me run sprints!) and I'm helping him, too, by timing him and keeping track of his laps.

So, once again, God has blessed me with running partners. I'm feeling better about myself because I'm exercising and I'm also enjoying the fellowship as I meet with friends consistently to run. Sports are one of those things that connects people no matter what language you speak or what country you come from.