Effort, Not Outcome

While I believe in their importance and usually enjoy them, tempo runs (at or slightly faster than goal marathon pace) have recently been a source of frustration.  It's been difficult to accept that between the heat and my loss of fitness, I simply can't yet hit the same target paces I did last year...at least not without sending my heart rate into the stratosphere.  So today I switched my focus from outcome (pace) to effort (heart rate).  It made a world of difference.  Letting go of the outcome allowed me to relax and enjoy the run.  I gave a good effort and felt reasonably good, striking the balance between challenging myself and not overdoing it.  My pace was considerably slower than what I would normally consider a tempo run...but probably faster than if I had started out overestimating my abilities and crashed halfway through the workout...and faster than any other run of that distance so far this year. I think I have to call that a win. 

It also got me thinking about what I can and cannot control in my relationship with God. I can control whether or not I set aside quiet time, read my Bible, or go to church. I cannot control whether or how He speaks to me when I do.  But as in running, if I consistently make the effort, results will come.  He promises:

"If you look for me wholeheartedly, you WILL find Me." (Jeremiah 29:13)

and

"Draw near to God, and He WILL draw near to you." (James 4:8)

God IS faithful.  It is His nature.  He invented the concept.  So it is impossible for me to be more faithful to Him than He is to me.  It may not always be when or how I expect, but if I keep seeking Him, He WILL show up.  He always does.  :)

The Things That Keep Us Going

Patience. Endurance. Long suffering. These words are often used together in scripture, sometimes interchangeably. If you're a distance runner, you understand why. 

You also understand the importance of breaking things down. Running the mile you're in. And the importance of those little things that keep you going. 

A marathon is much less intimidating if you think of it as thirteen 2-mile runs between aid stations. You know that at each one, there will at least be something to drink, and if you're lucky, maybe even a snack.  My personal favorite was Dunkin' Donuts at Mile 24 of Marine Corps. :)  At a big race like that, there are lots of cheering spectators and people holding signs to remind you: Pain is temporary. Pride is forever. 

Sometimes there are other things that give you that little boost you need to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I will never forget staring up at the mile 9 hill during my first half at Cowtown. There was a sea of humanity before me, showing just how steep the climb ahead would be. But a bluegrass song called, "Shouting On the Hills of Glory" came on just as I began my ascent and powered me to the top. 

These things don't just happen at races. Even on training runs, I find myself focusing on just getting to the next gel or water break. And I am blessed by the unexpected, be it running through sprinkler rainbows or past a gorgeous display of flowers, or the kindness of strangers: an angel/trucker parked on my route who offered me a bottle of ICE cold water, a train full of kids waving as I ran past near the zoo, or a woman who rolled down her window and hollered, "You're my hero!" as I tackled a big hill. 

There is no way to describe how these moments breathe new life into a run.  Some we know are coming, and we're counting on them. Others are complete surprises, received as gifts from God in His perfect timing. 

The same is true of our life journey.  We all need an oasis now and then, a place to refuel and refresh.  Or some kind of little boost that gives us encouragement and keeps us moving forward, especially when we feel like quitting.  Like with running, it can come through a song on the radio, an act of kindness, or words from those who cheer us on. It can come from a scripture that cuts right through to the heart of the matter. Or one of those God winks when you know what some might call coincidence was anything but.  

Some of these things are beyond our control. Some are straight from heaven. But we also have the opportunity to provide these for each other.  As Hebrews 10:24-25 says:

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds....encouraging one another...

So be someone's cheerleader today. Who do you know that could use encouragement?  How can you be a blessing?  The best part is, it's not a zero sum game. When you give encouragement, it will lift your spirits, too! 

    .  

Rainbows and Unicorns

One of the best things about running with God is those moments when He shows up in a way that is so unmistakably...Him.

On one of my runs this week, I got to run through a set of sprinklers. If you have ever run in the heat of the summer in Texas, you know that this alone feels like a shower from heaven. But these were at just the right height, and with the sun at just the right angle, they made a bunch of tiny rainbows. I got to run through rainbows!  I remembered that rainbows are a sign that God keeps His promises and heard Him whisper, "I always keep my promises. All of them." 

There was another phrase that popped into my head: rainbows and unicorns. Usually something folks say sarcastically when something seems to good to be true.  But the blessing of God is like that. 

Perhaps because I'd spent a good part of the run praying about Boston, all of a sudden, it clicked. Unicorns. 

Boston 2016

I want to run Boston.  And I want to run it in 2016. 

Don't get me wrong.  I would love to run in 2015, and Erie would be a great course to qualify on.  But my training data shows that I'm nowhere near where I was a year ago.  With the setback and my current level of fitness, I'd be thrilled just to PR.  It would take an absolute miracle to run a sub-4, and I think it's safe to say the only way I'm pulling a 3:40 in September is if I'm divinely transported, as Philip was in Acts 8:26-40. 

So I have set my sights on 2016 and signed up for the Utah Valley Marathon next June, where the gentle downhill course is probably my best chance to qualify.  Yes, I know it's crazy to sign up for a race that's a year away so that I can run one nearly two years away.  And I know I could train my butt off and still fail.  But even if I do, I think I become a better runner and a better person for trying.  I'm already seeing the fruit of this decision in the way it's changed my perspective on training for Erie.   

With his business coaching clients, my dad has a saying:

Do today what will matter tomorrow.

The Yasso 800's I ran this week?  Not just for Erie.  Those were for Boston 2016.  The long run I did today?  Ditto.  Passing up freshly baked chocolate chip cookies?  You better believe it.

I was already enjoying running each day.  Being sidelined for six months has a way of making you appreciate each day that you're not confined to the couch.  The joy of running has been amplified by excitement about Erie, about getting back to 26.2 and seeing what I can do at that distance.  But I'm finding even stronger drive to overcome challenges when I think about the result not just two months from now but two years from now.

Considering this new perspective has also caused me to ask: How do I apply this principle spiritually?  How will the impact of today's choices reach beyond two months or two years and into eternity?