The 4 Miler

I completed my FIRST EVER 4 mile run yesterday, and am more than proud of myself!  I continue to surpass goals that I never thought that I could accomplish, and am more and more amazed of myself each day.  This whole running adventure has definitely begun to show me that I can accomplish anything that I set my heart to, even if someone or something tries to bring me down.

My dad decided to join me on my run, and I am very thankful that he took time out of his day to do so.  It isn't often that we have father/daughter time together, so I love it when we do embrace our limited time with one another.  Memories of my athletic past came flowing back, as I once again experienced the constructive feedback that my father had to offer.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it when he presents me with new ways of looking at training, but I sometimes get frustrated with how they are presented.  I feel like so much of what I have done, athletically speaking, never meets his standards.  I know that deep in his heart, he wants me to be as successful as I can be.  I honestly think that his way of encouraging and coaching me along, is by providing me with more challenges than I have already chosen to take on.  We aren't given our fathers to merely provide us with limited encouragement, support and love, but rather to challenge us when we think that we can't push ourselves further, to support us in any choice that we make, and to love us unconditionally -- no matter the circumstance.  I love my daddy more than any other man in this whole world, and while I may get frustrated with our relationship at times, I will never let those frustrations ruin the irreplaceable relationship that we have with one another.