What's Important
I ran ten miles this morning, and it really seemed fairly easy except for being unusually warm for early January. This was the last longish run of training for the Charleston Marathon next weekend. Those who've run a marathon will appreciate how good this last semi-long run feels. Today, it didn't matter how I felt, or how fast or slow I ran. Today's run was simply cover the distance, get from point A to point B without hurting something in the process.
What lies behind the run today made it so seemingly easy to do and relatively unimportant. In the previous four months I've run nearly 500 miles, including a half marathon in Spartanburg, three fifteen mile runs, an eighteen mile run, and three twenty mile runs. I've run after dark in the evening, before the sun has come up, in the rain, when there's frost on the pumpkin, and when it's been so warm that I've shed my shirt before I've finished. No, I'm not in the best shape of my life, but I'm plenty ready to complete a marathon. All that is left between now and lacing up the shoes next Saturday morning is simply to get in a couple of very short easy runs, and most importantly eat and sleep well so I'm rested and healthy.
My last marathon experience was eleven months ago in Myrtle Beach. It was torturous, and quite frankly embarrassing to me. I wasn't fit enough, rested enough, and the weather was much too warm. On that day I willed myself not to stop beginning at the half way point. It's not unusual for the last couple of miles to be a "death march," on that day eleven months ago the last ten miles were a "death march." That day eleven months ago has remained in the back of my mind with nearly every step this fall and winter. That failure has fueled my fire so to speak.
One week from now I'll be lying in the bed in the motel room listening to the aching of my hips, knees, feet, plus muscles I seldom know I have. Even though I'm in pretty decent shape, there's always a chance that I'll fall apart next Saturday- come up lame with injury or just plain have a bad run. But even if I do fall on my face, at the end I'll still be in the bed in the motel room with some Aleve and ice packs.
Within the last few days one of my best friends was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. He's a fellow pastor and runner, and we've run together many times. But, this week he began the most important race of all. I've been looking at the run next Saturday as being really important, but it suddenly seems so very trivial. Win, lose, or draw, I'll still be okay after the run next weekend. For my friend, though this race is life and death. Run well my friend, be strong in the Lord, and know you're in my prayers.
What lies behind the run today made it so seemingly easy to do and relatively unimportant. In the previous four months I've run nearly 500 miles, including a half marathon in Spartanburg, three fifteen mile runs, an eighteen mile run, and three twenty mile runs. I've run after dark in the evening, before the sun has come up, in the rain, when there's frost on the pumpkin, and when it's been so warm that I've shed my shirt before I've finished. No, I'm not in the best shape of my life, but I'm plenty ready to complete a marathon. All that is left between now and lacing up the shoes next Saturday morning is simply to get in a couple of very short easy runs, and most importantly eat and sleep well so I'm rested and healthy.
My last marathon experience was eleven months ago in Myrtle Beach. It was torturous, and quite frankly embarrassing to me. I wasn't fit enough, rested enough, and the weather was much too warm. On that day I willed myself not to stop beginning at the half way point. It's not unusual for the last couple of miles to be a "death march," on that day eleven months ago the last ten miles were a "death march." That day eleven months ago has remained in the back of my mind with nearly every step this fall and winter. That failure has fueled my fire so to speak.
One week from now I'll be lying in the bed in the motel room listening to the aching of my hips, knees, feet, plus muscles I seldom know I have. Even though I'm in pretty decent shape, there's always a chance that I'll fall apart next Saturday- come up lame with injury or just plain have a bad run. But even if I do fall on my face, at the end I'll still be in the bed in the motel room with some Aleve and ice packs.
Within the last few days one of my best friends was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. He's a fellow pastor and runner, and we've run together many times. But, this week he began the most important race of all. I've been looking at the run next Saturday as being really important, but it suddenly seems so very trivial. Win, lose, or draw, I'll still be okay after the run next weekend. For my friend, though this race is life and death. Run well my friend, be strong in the Lord, and know you're in my prayers.
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