March’s Prevention 2013 Magazine arrived in my mailbox today—-and my first thought was it fits perfectly in my suitcase for summer reading in Zitsa, Greece (pictured above). If you look closely, you might see me (Litsa) sitting on my parent’s veranda enjoying the scenery and just reading—–or you might see me strolling on Greece’s mountainous terrain (if you could see the road that circles around to where the photographer snapped this photo)! I take this same picture every summer more than once when I visit my family’s summer home—–right in the middle of the village!
Beyond reading on the veranda, I love walking in the village. I was thrilled when I read Prevention’s memo that noted, “You don’t have to increase the length of your run to get better results: Just lace up your sneaks and hit the trails, streets, or beach. By paying attention to how running feels and focusing more on your surroundings–the trees, the skyscrapers, the crashing waves—you run more efficiently.”
I’m not a runner. I pretend to be. “I think I can. I think I can.” I think I will is my motto. I try. I may have shared that I wanted to try running a 5K more than once before I’m 40—-and that I was trying the Couch to 5K program (while I’m raising a toddler)! About a year later, I am still training—still on week 2 of the program. When my smartphone says, “Start running now!” I sometimes see a hill and think, “Heaven help me!”——-needless to say….the smartphone doesn’t help me get to the top of that hill! Thus, honestly….I just walk up that hill but the next time I see that hill, I think back to the mountains I have to attack in Greece in the summer—-and I move it move it—-fast paced walking! Does that count as running? I’m still trying—-four out of seven days this winter! I’ll be back to five days of training soon—–but what I’m doing right is that while I walk:
I’m soaking up my surroundings with praises. Here in West Tennessee, I thank God for the hills, the beautiful spring flowers emerging, the people that work around the hospital where I walk, I thank HIM for the teachers that teach our children, for the waves of onlookers as I walk, for the opportunity to open a door for someone going into a medical facility……and more! Additionally, I walk these roads of thanksgiving each day for a fitter me that can care for my family and relish the strides of a fitter body when I’m 40….50….60…yes, I’m picking up speed by surrounding myself with just what I need……..the time to walk every day whether here in Dyersburg, Tennessee this winter/spring or Zitsa, Greece this summer!
Photo Credit: Bing!
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