Saturday, Aug. 9, I ran my first 5K in like, um, six years. Here I am with my friend Karen at the end of it. Still alive. Whew.
I’m mostly writing this just to finish the story. You know, the one where I haven’t exercised for about 5 years, and Martha (editor of Boundless) talked me into doing a post-baby-number-three Couch to 5K. And then I failed at that endeavor. But I had already told you that I was going to run this thing, so I got up that Saturday, and I did it. I ran the whole thing. IT FELT GREAT!
(And then I was sore for three days.)
One thing I had going for me was that I got to train here in Colorado, so the elevation — while it is a butt-kicker — wasn’t a shock to my system. I am so proud of all of you who trained at a much lower elevation and then came here and ran. I decided to take it slow and steady, and I finished in 35:46. Yes, I know that some of you walk faster than that. But as my running role-model Ray VanderLaan says, “I run. You can time me with Carbon 14.”
Hands down, the hardest part of the race was the uphill stretch right before the turnaround. That’s when I started feeling a little like I was going to throw up. But I breathed deeply, slowed my pace a little and kept going. And a few minutes later, I got to run downhill.
Just because I can, I’m going to make a cheesy running analogy right now. Some of you feel like you’re running uphill. At a much higher elevation than you are accustomed to. And you feel like you’re about to lose your proverbial lunch.
Don’t quit.
Listen to the encouragement of your fellow runners. (Cause you guys are a super encouraging bunch to run with!) Take some deep breaths. Slow down if you need to. But keep going. Your Heavenly Father knows what you need. He will be your sustenance. And eventually, you will get to run downhill again.
My comparison may be cheesy, but God’s Word is not!
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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:1-3).
Leave a comment if you finished the 5K. Bonus points if you also make a cheesy running analogy.
(view it here.)
