In Pursuit of Community

Or "The Forming of Habits"

Despite what this photo communicates to you. I am NOT a runner. I am a not-so-regular walk/jogger. Therefore I took great pride when I successfully walk/jogged two 5Ks my junior year of college.

(and yes I beat my personal best by 7 min the second time around... but I'm beginning to think that was just luck).

However, ever since those races I've had a small dream in the back of my mind:

to run a WHOLE 5K straight through.

But what would actually help me accomplish this goal - I didn't know - so I just tucked it away in the

"Never Gonna Happen"

box in my mind.

But then it hit my last Sunday -

COMMUNITY.

I went on a "run" with two of my friends and pushed myself to almost breaking point (at least my body thought I was breaking the next day). On that 4 mile trek I told my friend Grace my secret 5K desire. She told me that if I found a 5K she'd train with me for it - not being a runner herself we'd be starting from the same point.

And so the journey began:
We

1) Found a training schedule - Couch 2 5K provides a wonderful app that tells us to switch from warm up to running to walking to cool down

2) Found a race - actually we just happened to find TWO! the Thriller in Schiller and the Schiller Chiller

3) Found community - I think I got frustrated with running in college because I always did it on my own, and I didn't know how to pace, encourage or correctly challenge myself. 

Tuesday Grace and I ran our first work out for the training. It was wonderful! I got back and wasn't out of breath, didn't have stitches in my side and felt accomplished. For the first time I felt like I was on the right path to accomplishing the goal.

This is only one of several habits that I've begun to form for life back in Chicago, and I realized this morning - I'm doing most of these activities (hopefully soon to be habits) because I'm pursuing community.

I enjoyed running on Sunday and Tuesday because of the COMMUNITY

I'm fasting and praying on Wednesdays to support my church  COMMUNITY

I'm going to a local coffee shop every morning during the week because it puts me out in the COMMUNITY of Wheaton and because it gives me solid 45 minutes of community with my Redeemer in his word.

I think I've found my secret to forming a habit -
do so in pursuit of a community.

What habits are you forming?

and Why are you forming those habits?