Every Runner's Nightmare--The Day I was Hit by a Car

 The day started out like any normal day. The weather was nice outside 28F and I was hoping to make good time out on my 10 mile run. Lately, I had been running to the island rather then driving to add more miles and difficulty to my runs.  I wanted to run to a specific store downtown when it opened at 10am so I waited to leave until 9 am. After 5.5 miles of running, I arrived at the store, picked up my little items, shoved them in my vest and left.

This is the view from downtown, right before I run
on the pedestrian bridge to get to the island on my way back home.

As I was getting to the bridge, I saw my friend Baba Leda (Grandma Lydia) she set her bags down to give me a hug and we had our usual small talk and I went on my way. She's always so sweet, and I hope one day to have her over for tea and invite her to church! I was excited because I was making really good time and didn't want to lose it at the end.

I saw one more man that I also see often walking and said hello to him as I ran by. I finally reached the end of the island, only two more miles to go. (These last two miles are in the city.) I knew I was about to go uphill for a mile and was ready to push it. I arrived at the last of two crosswalks until I was around the corner from our apartment about half a mile.

The man who hit me and the crosswalk.

In Russia, it's the law that all vehicles must stop at a pedestrian crosswalk when they see a pedestrian. I usually, wait until I make eye contact with a driver and he comes to a stop. I always walk across rather then run because a driver has more time to react to a pedestrian walking then someone running across and vice versa. 

The man who hit, who ironically
is a physical therapist.

This particular crosswalk was next to a busy bus stop and many pedestrians crossed here. I saw the lady in the middle lane had stopped. And the lane next to me there was a bus pulled off, so I stepped out. I was almost to the other side and was going to resume running and hop on the curb. I didn't see the car until it was too late, and he didn't see me.

 I laid on the ground thinking, "I just got hit by a car! I just got hit by a car!" The man quickly stopped and picked me up of the ground, and I kept telling him to put me down, (in English). He set me down on the median, and he kept talking to me. I told him (in Russian) that I only understood a little bit of Russian, and didn't understand what he was saying.  I said my husband speaks Russian fluently, and pulled out my phone to call him. The man was trying to pick me up again and put me in his car, but I didn't understand thats what he was doing. I felt a bit vulnerable and just went into survival mode. I didn't want him to take me anywhere in his car, and kept refusing to let him pick me up. I just wanted to lay down on the ground in the fetal position, and stay there. (I later was told that was the worse thing to do because my body was going into shock.)

Me discovering my giant nose!

James answered right away, and he heard the most unexpected news coming from the other end of the phone. I told him I had I had been hit by a car and was close to home. It took me a minute to try to explain to him where I was. He quickly called our friend Kevin. Our car was in the shop so James called me back to tell me, Kevin was on his way and would be there soon. I handed the phone to the Russian man to talk to him. There was another man that had witnessed the accident and stayed with us (an off duty policeman). He called the ambulance and the police as the the man who hit me started to wipe me off and give me some water. I took some photos of the scene, the man and myself just for documentation. I wasn't sure if this man would try to blame the accident on me or what would happen.

James and Kevin arrived within ten minutes. James jumped out of Kevin's car and ran over.
Kevin's daughters stayed at our apartment with the kids. My first thought was Macy. She was needing to eat soon and I had frozen milk in the freezer. I could rest a little easy knowing she was taken care of. I was shaking and getting colder by the minute. James checked on me and I told him I was okay just cold and my leg was hurting. I was given a coat and soon Kevin and James took me to Kevin's van to warm up as we waited for the ambulance and the police.

My awesome splint.

First time in an ambulance. It
hurt to smile. I loved
James' hand on my face, it
made me feel secure and safe.

When the ambulance came, Kevin and James helped me inside it and onto the gurney. They checked my ever growing nose and said it didn't appear to be broken but my ankle might be. I received a shot of medicine to help with the pain and a home made splint that went from my ankle to my backside. As we arrived at the hospital, I also had to get off the gurney myself and out the little side door. I found out later, the ER wasn't allowing anyone in because they were cleaning. The people who were in the ambulance insisted they opened the doors because they had Americans that needed in. After that, there was no resistance. They let us in and we went straight to the doctor and then to the X-Ray table. There they asked what hurt and I told them only my leg. They took an X-Ray of my leg and I sat there alone and waited. They came back and the doctor said "All was okay" in Russian and then asked me my name. I told him and he told me his name was Volodia. I told him I had a friend who was also named Volodia. He then pointed to the door asking if the men waiting on me were named Volodia. I smiled and said no that was my husband, James and our friend Kevin. He then randomly spoke English and asked me if I had a boyfriend. I laughed and said yes, my husband.

I was thankful to have just
 painted my toes!

James carried me to the next room where the doctor told us that nothing was broken. He gave us a few slips that recommended a physical therapist. And we went home. (It was more of a do-it-yourself ER, but it was all free. So we got what we paid for!)

Dr. Volodia

My awesome elbow after
getting back from the second
 trip to the ER

Later, I took off my compression shirt and my arm had a huge bubble the size of a baseball. I felt it growing and spreading. I yelled for James to come in the room. He and Kevin looked it over called our nurse friend Dee, and we rushed back to the ER. They allowed us to go to the front of the small crowd of people there and took another X-Ray. They said it wasn't broken and it was just swollen from the impact. I was relieved, but still a little uneasy. I kept thinking, they aren't checking me over, what if we go home again and something else happens. Will they miss something that's really serious? But I just silently prayed and trusted the Lord.

Arriving at the hospital

My poor foot!

We gathered that as I was starting to run, my right leg went forward along with my left arm and those took the brunt of the impact, along with my face. I hit the side of his car, and broke his side mirror, put a small crack in his windshield along with a small dent. If it had been a second later, I probably would have been hit by the front of his car and been in much worse shape. I still can't believe that I had no broken bones and no concussions. God truly protected me.


I can't imagine what went through James mind as he heard me say "I was just hit by a car." We were just talking last week about being careful at the crosswalks. James had also told me that his only fear when I'm gone running is that I'll be hit by a car. In the Krasnoyarsk region there were 13 pedestrians killed in one week by vehicles.

My favorite part was coming home and getting hugs from my boy and holding my little girl. Jacob kept saying "Mommy- hurt-owie" and he pointed to my nose and kissed it. As he's been noticing all my "boo-boo's" he's been saying hurt and kisses them gently. Between he and James, I have been in good hands. I have been overwhelmed by all the prayers and well wishes. I have yet to cry from the accident but tear up at everyone's love for us. I don't take for granted being able to hold my babies and watch them grow!

One of the firsts thoughts after I was hit, was how I could bring God glory through this. I wondered what the Lord wanted me to learn from this experience. I have been really working on getting my priorities in order this last month, and trying to spend meaningful time each day with the Lord. I even analyzed my running, and wanted to make sure it didn't become an idol. My first priority is my relationship with the Lord and my family. I'm a mother/wife/missionary first then a runner. So I thought, why would this happen. I may not know the why, but I simply just trust the Lord. I know this isn't a punishment from the Lord, but rather a reminder of God's protection and mercy.

The man who hit me, was truly sorrowful. He told the police he didn't care what happened to him, he just wanted to make sure I was okay. He has called 7-8 times these past two days to check on me. And he is going to visit me on Saturday. I pray that we can show him God's love and build a relationship with him. And maybe he'll come to church for me. One of my friends, jokingly said, there is easier ways to invite people to church! But if he does come to church and develops a relationship with the Lord, it truly would be worth it all. I'll recover from my injuries and sprained ankle, but there is no recovery from an eternity separated from God.

May we look for ways to glorify the Lord in all areas of our lives, the good, the bad, and the ugly (insert my swollen face!). May we also not put hobbies above what's truly most important, and that is our relationship with the Lord. To God be the glory!

Thank you all for the many prayers on my behalf and my family. I feel a little stronger each day. And for whatever reason, the Lord spared my life I am thankful. I can't help but think He has plans for my life and desires to use me. I'm just so humbled that God would use someone like me with all my imperfections. I truly am unworthy.

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

Our awesome babysitters and friends. :)
They even baked me a cake! 

James 4:14

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

1 John 2:15-17

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Running for Two- 5 Simple Tips

I began my journey into running while I was pregnant with our son Jacob. I waited until the second trimester to begin my moderate exercise. I figured I could power walk a mile, so why not? I didn't realize that first mile was going to be the first of many!

I have been asked how can I run while pregnant. Well without trying to be sarcastic, I run the same as I did not being pregnant. The weight gradually comes on as I progress into my pregnancy, so my body gets used to that extra pound or two here and there. It's not 30 extra pounds all at once. And no, my belly doesn't plop up and down as I run, as a friend asked me the other day. :) However, only one of my running shirts is long enough to cover my belly. So I have an undershirt I wear that is long enough and helps keep it all in and allows me to wear the rest of my shirts! I don't wear a belly band while running because the undershirt does the trick for me. I would recommend the belly band if needed! Just some free advice for those wondering.

My objective while running for two is not to work on speed or run a marathon. It's to simply keep myself and the baby healthy in preparation for delivery (and then train for a marathon!). Although I may have been trying to work on speed earlier in the pregnancy, it's not a good idea now. Now I just read about fast runners and how to improve my time for after I give birth. 

A few simple tips for Running For Two:

1) First and foremost, listen to your body!
   
      I must admit this has been a humbling experience for me. As I have had to cut back on my miles and slow my pace down quite a bit. I don't like feeling like I "can't" do something. But I know it's what's best for me and the baby. I went through a period of time when I would limp with a sore leg from my runs. My sweet husband laughed at me as I would try to walk normal. A lot of stretching before and after my runs helped fix this issue. But let me tell you, it was awful! I would start off my run limping but get in a stride and be fine. But then afterwards I could barely walk. I took a few days off, and would stretch a lot and make sure I was taking my vitamins. I added Calcium and Magnesium supplements into my daily intake and made sure to eat enough iron as I was low on that also.

   I now take small walk breaks when I need to during my runs. If I push myself to run the whole thing or go further when my body is tired, I exert all my energy for the day and am useless to the world. I decided that having a great run wasn't worth losing all my energy for the day. So I settle for a good run and conserve my energy for the rest of the day. I say all that to say, listen to your body! The time will soon come when you can push yourself to great limits if that is your hearts desire!

2) Stay hydrated. 

    I always always always carry water with me on my runs. I have two fuel belts and one water back pack that I love! Water is crucial if you're going to be outside in the heat and doing distance. Even if it's just a mile or two I still bring a small water bottle with me. And of course as an active pregnant woman, you need more water.

3) Make sure you are getting the proper nutrients you need and stretch. 

     Along with my prenatal, I take a multi vitamin and calcium with magnesium vitamin to help replenish what baby is taking from me. Also your blood work will tell you if you are low in an area. For me my iron was low, so I've been eating more iron enriched foods. Your body goes through quite the change throughout your pregnancy. I had problems with my legs when I have never had any problems while running. So take it a day at a time and make sure you are getting the proper nutrients and stretching to avoid injury.

4) Make sure you have good shoes!

    If your shoes or worn out then you'll soon be punishing your whole body. It's important that you have the proper shoes especially when doing distance. It's worth the extra $50-$75 to buy a new pair of shoes that will keep you going for the next 400 miles then replace them again. It's recommended to replace your shoes every 300-500 miles. For me that's about every 3-4 months. Again if you do shorter distance, your shoes will last longer. Just keep track of your miles and the condition of your shoes...speaking of which I could really use a new pair!

5) Lastly, enjoy the run and make sure there's a bathroom close by! 

    I've learned to just enjoy my runs these past few weeks. Sure I may be going slow, but I'm still going! I've turned off my pace on my Nike+ app so now I don't get sad when I hear how slow I'm going. I just run and enjoy the great outdoors. Do what your body will allow you to do and enjoy it! Soon I will be pushing myself to do speed workouts and distance, and cross training. So for now, I will enjoy the easy run!

While in the 6th month of this pregnancy, I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep up my running. I was determined to run the entire pregnancy but I was having signs of early labor. After my runs, I would get Braxton Hicks that wouldn't go away. So I slowed it down and took it easy. It's so important that you listen to your body.

The Braxton Hicks went away after a couple of weeks and I resumed my normal workout routine. At times during my runs, I would think how will I make it to the end of my pregnancy and still run?! But I would tell myself just to get through that run. Get to the end of that week. I look forward to my Saturday runs because that marks the beginning of a new pregnancy week for me. Last week, I entered my last and final month and did so buy finishing a 9 mile run. And now I'm in my 37th week of pregnancy with just 3 weeks left! The finish line is so close! I actually feel great this last month compared to a lot of my other months. Let's hope it continues!

Running just 1-2 miles a day with my last pregnancy really helped with labor and delivery. My entire labor was about 6 hours long. It went really quickly and smoothly- praise the Lord for that! I had a med free, pain free natural child birth. I'm praying for the same with this little princess. I will keep you posted on the outcome of this labor and delivery when the time comes! And I realize, everyone is different, every pregnancy is different and every labor and delivery is different. And I can't guarantee the same results for you as exercising had with me. But allow me to encourage you to not allow pregnancy to be an excuse to not exercise. Rather let it be a strong motivation to start or continue! Do it for that sweet little babe growing inside of you! You won't regret it!

Here are a few other perks for running while pregnant!

1) You never have to guess which direction to go because your belly button will always point you in the right direction. 

2) Whenever an older person or any human passes you, just grab your belly and pretend you're in labor but then walk it off and give them the ole' head nod as they run by. 

3) That sudden urge to go potty is a great excuse to stop and visit friends and family along the way. And don't forget to always carry tissue just in case nature calls before you reach your friends house. 

4) Talk to your baby along the way. Sure they may think your crazy talking to yourself, but your baby will remember these times. So go ahead, cherish these moments. 

Until Next Time! Happy Trails!

How to Become and Stay a Runner- 4 Easy Tips

You like the idea of running. It seems like a nice easy way to exercise. But how do you get started?

I was looking for an easy way to moderately exercise during my first pregnancy, so I thought how about power walking? I could power walk. So off I began. But then a couple minutes into my mile, I thought to myself, this is taking too long. So I ran for a whopping 10-15 seconds and then walked again, then I ran another 10-15 seconds, then walked and so on. I could barely run, but I would do what I could until I had to stop and take a break. When I finished my mile I felt pretty good, out of shape, but still pretty good.

To my surprise, I kept at it. I kept trying to run a little farther without stopping each time. I had tried running before but would do too much too soon and would quit after a couple of weeks. The difference was this way I was slowly building up my strength and endurance. I remember being able to run with James for .75 of a mile without stopping. I felt like Super Woman! And now I can run 26 miles without stopping.

So how does a person go from one mile to 26 miles?

By simply starting! 

We won't even look at the dreaded 26.2 miles yet, but we will start at just a mile. You probably walk a mile just getting from one end of Walmart to the other. ( Don't you just hate it when you realize you forgot to grab milk and eggs and you're already in the cosmetic section clear across the store?!) 

The Couch to 5K app is a great starting plan for beginners. It is the same basics of what I did on my own. You walk for a couple of minutes and run for 30 seconds then repeat. You slowly build your running time while decreasing your walk time. If you don't have a smart phone then google is your friend. All you need to know about Couch to 5K is online. And who's your best friend? I am-- here's the link: Couch to 5K You're Welcome.

Here are some basic steps to help you get started.

1) Set a goal

     You always want to be working towards something. Sign up for a race that will challenge you. Even if it's just a mile race- a kids fun run with your niece, sign up and get going! A 5K is a great race to work towards. Sign up, get super nervous, and then train!!

2) Find a training plan. 

     Whether training for a 5K or your first half marathon, you need a good training plan. I didn't even know training plans existed when I ran my first 10K. Training plans help keep you on track and working towards your goal. They also have a Couch to 10K. I like Hal Higdon's training plans for marathon training. And Jeff Galloway also has some good plans as well.

3) Get fitted for the right pair of running shoes. 

     Any running store will get you fitted with the right pair of shoes for your feet. I ran for about 6 months before I got my first pair of running shoes. I didn't want to spend money on something I wasn't sure I would keep up with. I was only running a 1-2 miles a day so my pair of tennis shoes worked just fine. But having the right fit of running shoe makes all the difference especially when you are running distance. And dry wick running socks are a must! I bought mine at Target. I was getting blisters on my feet from my socks and my shoes were too tight which I didn't realize at the time, but I didn't get fitted at a running store. I knew nothing when I began running! So learn from all my mistakes. 

4) Get Started! 

    You don't have to wait until the new year to start something new, start today! Running/Walking a mile will only take you about 15-20 minutes. You roll out of bed, lace up your shoes and get out there. Just start. You can't become a runner if you never start. Every runner had to start somewhere. And don't be discouraged if you're not making as much progress as soon as you would like. Your speed will come in time as you build endurance and strength. Your lungs will become stronger so you can breathe easier as your running. And don't be embarrassed by people seeing you walking as you're trying to run- at least you are out there exercising! I recommend running about 4-5 times a week as you start out. Take a rest day every couple of days, but then get back out there.

I hear many excuses as to why people don't exercise. Which is funny because I never ask people if they do or don't exercise. I think they just feel guilty around the 6 month pregnant woman who ran 10 miles that morning.

I know some have valid excuses, but most do not. Mentally prepare yourself each day to get out there and get going. Take it one day, one mile at a time. You can do one day of running one mile, right? Each day, tell yourself you can do one more day, one more mile. And before you know it, you will have become a runner! And believe it or not you may even come to love it like I do!

So how does one become a runner? By being consistent.

Running a marathon may not be on your list of goals and that's fine. Just get started, set a goal, and work towards that goal. Once you've reached a goal work towards another goal. You alone will be your biggest motivator. Get out there and challenge yourself to do more than you did the day before.

Stay tuned for my next running post on how to add distance to your runs!

And just look at all the places you can go! These are all places I've run and races. One perk about traveling on deputation is all the places I got to see while on my morning runs. 

My sister in law Hannah hitting her first 100 miles run! 

First 10K on St. Pete Beach, Fl

Running in Florida and Somewhere cold maybe Oklahoma

St. Louis, Missouri- Ran my first 10.5 miles

First half marathon in Branson, Missouri

First and last Color Vibe Run in Akron, Ohio

First time running 101 miles in one month in Erie, PA

Running in Jersey City, with the NYC skyline to look at! First time I ran 13 miles! 

Running on the Berlin Trail in Deerfield, OH

First time running in 2 states on one run! Indiana and Kentucky!

Running in the heat in Florida! Jumped in the water to cool off! 

Running in Maine 

Running in Brooklyn, OH

Running in Russia!

Trails in Russia

Plan of Action in the USA!!

If you haven't read our latest post as to why we are going back to the States you can read it here. 

What's been going on since our last update?

Well the day after we posted we were heading to the States- we found an apartment! A huge blessing and weight lifted. Thank You, Lord! And I have a tutor lined up for when we come back--hooray! We are still praying and looking for someone to take over the ministry here in the village; but we are trusting the Lord to send the right person. In the mean time…

I am counting down the days until we leave for the States! Home sweet home! 

One day, Russia will be like home for me, and I look forward to that day. But America will always be home. My country, the land that I love! I'm a proud American, and am very thankful for the many men and women who sacrifice (or have sacrificed) to keep our country free and great! Corrupt government and all, I love America!

Okay sentimental part over. 

What am I looking forward to most?

Being able to speak and understand those I am speaking to! 

What is the next most exciting thing?

I can't wait to walk into Starbucks, breathe in the aroma of fresh beans, reminisce of my ole' barista days, walk up to the counter, order my favorite drink, with a high chance of not get the "Starbucks Experience", and enjoy every minute of being in a familiar place! 

What's the next next most exciting thing?

Running and Racing!! Running in the Cleveland Metro Parks in warmer temps. Even if the temps are suppose to be 2F when we land.  I look forward to signing up for a couple of races while we are in town and I can't wait!! I'm a running nerd. :D

And of course, shopping! I can't wait to go to Target, hop on the shopping cart, and ride it down the aisles with my iced coffee in hand. Weeeeeee!!!! 

Okay I'm back to reality. There's so many little things I'm looking forward to being back in America. Most of all it will be so great to be around family and friends! Especially family! I know it will go by so quickly, but I will enjoy every minute of it and praise the Lord all the day long! He's been spoiling us lately. And I know He will provide for us. What a great God we serve!

Don't take anything or anyone for granted! Every good thing, every good friend, is  a gift from the Lord. Maybe this could be a little glimpse into a "new missionary's world." We are just normal people trying to do our best to serve our Lord and Savior the way He planned. And it's hard at times to adjust to a new life in a new country. It's not the easiest , nothing is! We didn't sign up for easy, we gladly give our lives to serve the Lord. And the blessings far outweigh any struggle. And the best part of all? God is with us each step of the way. We couldn't do what we do if His power wasn't in our lives. And we couldn't be here if it wasn't for the many of you who give, pray, and encourage us. Thank you for encouraging missionaries through prayer and sending a short message or email. We can't tell you how it lifts our spirits!

Have a great weekend!

And to all my Ohio family,  
see you soon!!!!

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Psalms 31:19