four-minute friday: the mountain

Go.

I’d decided I was gonna run the mountain this week. But I didn’t do it. I don’t really have a good excuse except… I don’t really want to. I’m making myself do it. Well, apparently I’m not making myself do it. But I intended to.

Kind of ironic that it takes self-discipline to have self-discipline. Wait. Wha?! Exactly.

So I’m going public with my mountainous intentions. That creates some accountability and motivation for me. Really what it creates is pressure, which will get me to run that hill because I should. Because y’all know about it now. (I gotta admit, this Yankee has found y’all to be pretty handy at times.)

So here goes. This coming week, I’m gonna do it. I’ll shave my legs so I can wear shorts, put on my running shoes, grab my iPod with a playlist made just for the occasion, and I will get my procrastinating self to the top of that darn mountain!

Just as a disclaimer: By “run the mountain”, what I really mean is “run as much of it as I can with my out-of-shapeness and angry-lung-inducing asthma, but really I’d just be happy to make it to the top at all”. So it’ll probably be more walk than run, but even that’s a stretch for this indoor girl.

Did I mention I’m living in Hotlanta?! Yeah. I’ll let you know how it goes.

What mountain are you tackling next week?

Done.

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Comments

35 Responses to “four-minute friday: the mountain”
  1. Earl says:

    continuing to tackle the running business myself. tried this week. the chill in the morning air was enough to get me to quit after just 6 blocks or so. yipes! (i speed-walked and jogged the same 6 blocks or so back to the apt, though.)

    i have just enough asthmatic-lung-issue that it gets to me when it’s fallish. so now is a bad time to start up again, but i’ma do it. i could use the outside time. and some new music to run by, but that’s getting put off until i get a couple paychecks.

  2. gitz says:

    if you take your cell phone with you, snap a pic from the top of the mountain for me. i’d love to see what you see when you accomplish your goal. :)

    love you.

  3. Adriane says:

    I also have recently had the thought about needed to get in shape. I had figured out an excercise plan and was excited to start…yeah, it lasted one day. Turns out, I like the idea of getting in shape a lot more than the reality.

    My mountain this week….hmm.
    Prayer. For sure. I’ve realized how much more I need to pray. Well, I’ve known that I needed to pray more…but like you said, just trying to do it is a lot harder. I texted somebody last or so and told them that. I need to pray more.

  4. @ngie says:

    1. Love the pics you put on your carousel

    2. Your typing speed never ever ever ever ceases to amaze me

    3. If I was making that playlist I would call it “On Top of Spaghetti”

    4. YOU GO GIRL!

    5. I really really really really really wish I could go with you; THAT would rock.

  5. Lisa says:

    As Nike says, “Just do it.”

    You’re always saying you “do it afraid.” I think this is one time you can say that you’re doing in PREPARED.

    Eyes on the prize, girl.

    • Lisa says:

      Oh, and my own mountain that I have to conquer this week is standing in front of a room full of women to explain about a women’s Bible study I’ll start leading the following week. I want His words, not mine…. and oh excitement and relief, I can see Him forming them already.

      • alece says:

        ooooh! i’m so excited to hear you’re gonna be leading a bible study! what’s it about? how many women? is it through the WPC? (did i remember that right?) how many questions can i list in a row??? if i were anywhere near garmisch, i’d be there for your study!

        • Lisa says:

          What a big smile this put in my heart, to read your reply, Alece! I wish you COULD be here.

          You got 3 of the 4 letters! It’s PWOC, which stands for Protestant Women of the Chapel. Good memory!

          We’re doing a study on women of the Bible. It was picked a while back by others. I so want to see the women grab ahold of the fact that these were real women that they can relate to, who made mistakes and weren’t perfect, and yet loved God and were loved by Him.

          I don’t know yet how many women will show up, maybe about 15 or so. I keep thinking of the word “ignite,” and I think it’s because my desire is to see sparks of excitement and passion just flame up in their hearts as they encounter Him, maybe for the first time.

          I’m shaking in my boots, but I’m going to do it scared. Gee, where have I heard that before? :)

          • Bran Muffin says:

            is this MAKE-UP LISA? Make-up Lisa that I have a card for that I thought I sent and only found it the other day and realized I DIDN’T send it?

            • Lisa says:

              Brandy!!!! Yes, it’s me, Makeup Lisa! LOL!! So good to “see” you!

              Go ahead and send me the card, don’t worry about it, I’ll love it, I know! :D

          • alece says:

            i’m trusting Him with you for that kind of ignition in the women’s hearts. i know you are going to be so great for them. your heart is so wonderful, and they will learn so much from you — not just from what you teach, but from what you model.

  6. Chrystie says:

    I wanna know what’s on your playlist!

    • alece says:

      i’ll let you know after i run it!

    • alece says:

      today was the day.

      my sweet friend made me the playlist that got me up and down the mountain:

      the way i feel (matt wertz)
      many the miles (sara bareilles)
      maybe (ingrid michaelson)
      the dynamo of volition (jason mraz)
      butterfly (jason mraz)
      just dance (lady gaga)
      the one (mary j. blige)
      yeah! (usher)
      green light (john legend)
      revelation song (kim walker-smith)
      forgiven and loved (jimmy needham)

      it was perfect.

  7. Char says:

    Been running…and walking around here. You would appreciate the THRIVE Challenge that most of us are partaking in…the result of having a former Nurse on staff… I suppose. Most weeks, Amy kicks my butt in the running department…but it is good. We have hiked Everest and it is about time to hike Eagle. Maybe after you make it to the top of your mountain in Hotlanta….we can get to the top of a few mountains here….

    Miss you!

    • alece says:

      good for you!

      and oddly, i don’t do so well with structured group ‘projects’, so i think i’d probably suck at the thrive challenge. BUT… maybe i’ll feel differently once i’m actually in shape.

  8. Bran Muffin says:

    I say I’m going to “run a mountain” quite often, and never do. Too afraid. *sigh* I have however been ropped into leading a TEAM to “climb a mountain” and it scares the pee outta me. But, the fact I am in charge of others, makes me do it. If it was just me, I wouldn’t do it.

    Of course I’m referring to the huge task of being a member of our MOPS steering team and running 6 discussion groups which totals about 50 people. ugh. Scary, but I’m excited.

  9. yeller says:

    How’s it going?

    I just have to tell myself outloud (No, I beat my body. I can do this. I can make my body do this.)

    There is this shirt I want to get, you’d probably love these shirts: http://www.mymottoz.com/ I can’t wait to get the one that says “suck it up” so I just have to look down and say “oh….right…”

    • alece says:

      you’re doing great with all your running lately, friend. my mountain was a bit rough today, but i survived it… i definitely could’ve used a “suck it up” shirt today!

  10. Ellie says:

    This one made me smile. Years ago, I moved from near Seattle to near Atlanta. People kept talking about “the mountain”. I could never find it. Finally, I asked my room-mate, “On a clear day, can you point out where the mountain is?”

    She looked at me funny. “It’s right there – the boys run up it every Friday morning for exercise!”

    I had to redefine that word “mountain” as something without snow on it for living down there!

    Still don’t think i could run up one, though! Good job!

    • alece says:

      i know! kennesaw “mountain” is really just a hill. but that hill seriously kicked my ACE! :)

      are you still in the ATL area?

      how’d you find the Grit??

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