***I wrote this back in March of 2011 after completing my first half... but since I'm longing to return to my "dread-mill" for the stress-relieving, bum-kicking activity that I loosely define as RUNNING, I thought I'd repost this on my blog!***
Up until a few months ago, if you had even hinted that I would be attempting a half marathon, I would have laughed. Hard. And honestly, you’d have probably gotten the same reaction if you had simply suggested a two mile jog! That’s not to say that I didn’t like athletic things or working out; I have just never, ever considered myself a “runner.”
‘Cause some people are. You know who I’m talking about…those folks whose stride is reminiscent of a gazelle loping through the plains of Kenya-with ease and a sense of effortlessness. Long, lean, and sweat-free. (Okay, maybe they might sweat a little, but certainly not to the “Uh, Ma’am? Are you okay?!” level that I have grown accustomed to.) And since my running may register more along the lines of “lumbering,” the thought had never even crossed my mind to give it at try. Why would it? I had embraced my “UN-gazelle-ness.” ;)
That is, until January 2010. I ran (haha… get it?) across a system that claimed to get anyone 5k ready in just 9 weeks. 9 weeks? Seriously? So I decided to take the bait. It was on. “Couch to 5k” versus Mary Abraham. And after 9 weeks of training, I was knocking those three miles out, one awkward stride at a time. But I had done it. And in the process, I learned some invaluable lessons that were very timely in my life. And those were what ended up compelling me to continue this “life exercise” in running form.
“Why in the world would you do that to yourself?” Glad you asked. :)
Reason 1: There is nothing quite like pushing yourself past that “point” in your mind where you think you can’t go another step. And I’m not just talking physically, here. We all have these “points,” these mental edges to imaginary cliffs that we find ourselves peering over as though just one more step will be what drops us into the bottomless canyon below. And although we all certainly do have limitations, I have seen in myself that fear can make me feel a whole lot closer to the “edge” than reality would indicate. So even though it might have been a far stretch from graceful, taking my physical body past the “point of no return” allowed me to picture myself doing the same mentally, even spiritually.
Reason 2: So many biblical analogies made much more sense as I continually strained forward through each day of training. Here are a few:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:1-2
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly… No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11
“…rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7b-8
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14
A lot could be said about each of these verses, their enhanced meaning to me now that I have physically pushed myself in this manner, but suffice it to say that it has had HUGE implications in my spiritual life… and I’m so thankful for that! (And it leaves me with the opportunity to elaborate at some point on each one specifically! Be on the lookout…)
Reason 3: Those that come alongside you as an encouragement=PRICELESS. This could be a whole other topic in and of itself, but I’ll do my best to leave it in paragraph form. There is something to be said for community, and I have certainly found that to be the case even in this more basic and physical of goals. Let me give you an example. Most of you know that my youngest brother, Jon, offered to run the entire half with me. To get a workout? To achieve a new personal best? To earn a sweet race-day tee or shiny medallion? No. He didn’t even officially sign up for the race! He just ran alongside me for thirteen point one miles to be an encouragement. And I cannot even begin to really put into words what that meant (and still means!) to me. He plodded along by my side for 13 slow miles simply to push me through to the end. Wow, so much symbolism there. Isn’t that what we are called to do for each other as believers? To edify, encourage, uplift, love… for the purpose of finishing strong? Anyway, like I said, I could go on and on. The point is this; I uncovered so many parallels to the encouragement found while pursuing this running thing and the encouragement that we should find in the body of believers, the Bride of Christ! All for the purpose of “taking hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
Reason 4: There is nothing quite like pounding out the cares of my day on the treadmill. Or pavement. (I’m a treadmill girl, but those that run outside claim the same benefits!) Whatever may have been eating my lunch pre-run will seem a whole lot more manageable once I’m dripping with sweat. Do my problems disappear? Nope. But I do step away from the “machine of pain” (the affectionate name I’ve bestowed upon my treadmill) with a clearer head and some energy to go along with it. Life holds many moments of struggle, and I appreciate being able to address them head-on with an attitude of conquerability. (Not a word; I know. But it should be. )
Reason 5: Obviously, there are also some health benefits to propelling yourself in a forward motion for 30 minutes to 2+ hours! And I’m a fan of those. Higher level of energy, greater endurance, stronger muscles, weight loss… all good in my book!
All that to say, I’ve learned a lot while running. On many different levels, physically, mentally, and most importantly-spiritually. And I have a feeling that as long as my feet keep fumbling forward in a motion that vaguely resembles running, God will supply me with more lessons to be learned. ‘Cause as long as I am breathing, my real race isn’t over yet. So bring it on, dear old Treadmill!
Us with the fam in the background close to the finish line...
