Running and counting blessings

That picture is of Hartwell Dam. I grew up playing in the lake created by this dam. Camping, skiing, boating, floating, sun bathing, all those kinds of outdoor activities.

And this coming Saturday, I will be a runner. A relatively new outdoor activity for me. One that has come with sweat, tears, challenges, and perserverance.

I've lost 58 pounds - I have not taken one diet pill. As my friend Dawn Demo says "the answer is no... NO pills, NO lipo, NO bands, NO staples. It's called will power, sweat, and goals."

I'm eating better, I work out HARD, I drink my water. And slowly the pounds are coming off.

I would like to lose 25 - 30 more.

The 5K on Saturday morning will start from the South Carolina side of Hartwell Dam, follow the pavement above, cross the Dam, and end on the Georgia side of it. I was registered for this run last year when the "SURPRISE YOU LOST A KIDNEY TO CANCER" roadtrip began. The doctors were a little funny about letting me run a week after taking my kidney in a major surgery. So I sat and watched my daughter run. And I cried.

There will be hundreds of runners all with their own reason for doing this. Me - I'm running because I want to stay healthy this time. I'm doing the work every day to be that way. Making smarter decisions with eating, exercise, rest, lifestyle. I can honestly say that doing this for myself was, and still is hard. But it is so very worth the effort.

I have a 45 minute goal for myself.

I'm a little concerned, because right now, my asthma is not very well controlled. I've been struggling with that for about three weeks (hello pollen season) But I'm excited. I am healthy. My cancer recovery is now complete.

Better than that - I survived all the challenges so far, with very little negative effects mentally and physically.

So hey - lets roll - I'll let you you know next week just how I performed.

I can't wait to look down river from the top of the dam. And to count blessings. There will be a blessing with every step.

3.2 miles of blessings - that's gonna be a really big list.

Have a wonderful weekend.