Lessons from Running

 

Finishing my 3rd Half-Marathon

 

I’m training for a half-marathon.  If you do not know, a half-marathon is 13.1 miles.  I’ve ran 7 half-marathons before.  This will be the third post-cancer.  I’m excited about it.  Training for a half is probably what you think it is—a lot of running, three times a week you may see me out and about running around our town. 

You don’t start your training by running 13 miles at once.  Even though I have experience running half-marathons, I still start my training at the beginning.  Two miles one day, two and half the next time, and then a 5K on Saturday, building up to a 12-mile run just before the race.  This last weekend, I was scheduled to run 7 miles.  I typically get up early on Saturdays and run my long run.  However, this Saturday I was busy, so I could not run.  My fallback plan is early Sunday morning before church, however it was raining at a pretty good rate, so I did not feel safe running in those conditions (safety first, nothing ruins a training plan like a twisted ankle or getting hit by a car). 

Plan C was Sunday afternoon between services.  We came home from church, and fixed lunch.  After about an hour, I pulled on my running clothes (layers in winter, always layer) and laced up my shoes.  Remember, I’m typically a morning runner so this was out of my comfort zone. 

I had an amazing run.  Those 7 miles felt great.  That may be a foreign concept to you, but they really did.  The first couple of miles went by quickly.  I was breezing up hills and rolling right down them.  It was over before I realized 7 miles had past. 

This morning, I was slated to run 4 miles.  I got up early and set out on a familiar route.  I struggled.  The first mile was sluggish.  The second mile my legs were like “nah, I don’t think so.”  My breathing was ragged, and my heart rate was up higher than normal for a run.  Mile 3 was terrible and mile 4 was almost impossible.  But I finished the route. 

Immediately, I begin to think about the differences in the two runs.  My 7-mile run was much better than my 4-mile run.  You would think the opposite was true.  I begin to compare the differences.

•  In the 7-miler, my hydration was on point.  I sipped some water every 2-miles.  It was spot on.  This morning?  I didn’t even carry water with me. 
•  In the 7-miler, my nutrition was spot on.  A healthy lunch gave me the fuel I needed for the run.  This morning?  I didn’t eat anything before I left on the run.  It’s called breakfast for a reason (breaking your fast). 
•  In the 7-miler, my legs had been primed for a run.  I stretched before my run Sunday afternoon.  This morning, not so much.  A few toe touches and I was out of the driveway. 

You’d think that after training, running, and finishing 7 half-marathons, I would have theses simple keys to a successful run down pat.  But no, I made some simple mistakes that cost me later.  We can apply these same lessons to our spiritual walk with the Lord. 

Are you hydrated?  The scriptures tell us to be full of the Holy Ghost.  The scriptures also warn us about quenching the Spirit.  Do we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us or are we dried up, wore out Christians?  As I run, my body consumes water and I need to replenish it, if I don’t, my body begins to fatigue easier.  The scriptures remind us not to be weary in well doing. 

Is your nutrition, right?  Not only does my body consume water, but it consumes nutrients as well.  I was well fed before my 7-mile run—not a heavy meal, but a nutritious meal, half way through the 7-miler, I chewed some energy chews to resupply my body.  Spiritually, we need the Word of God to feed our souls.  We need good healthy meals and we need refills during the week.  This is the importance of our daily devotional life.  If you’re depending on your pastor to feed you during services, you’re going to starve the rest of the week. 

Are you primed to walk with the Lord?  Before starting any exercise regime (whether it be running or what not), you need to stretch.  Begin each day with a prayer time.  It doesn’t have to be long, it just needs to be effective.  Talking with the Lord will prime you to serve Him that day. 

Thursday, I’ll be running again.  This time my schedule will be for 5 miles.  You can rest assured that I will take advantage of the lessons I learned (again) this morning.