Vegas - Week 3 Training - Today, Someday, & Montage Moments

This week, I rearranged a few days, freeing up Sunday as a day of complete rest from work and running (i.e., a precious PJ day and a welcome break from rushing out the door to beat the Texas heat).  The schedule ended up looking like this:

Monday - 5 miles easy

Tuesday - rest

Wednesday - 5 miles hills

Thursday- 5 miles easy

Friday - 3 miles easy

Saturday - 12 miles LSD (13.1 with walk breaks every mile)

Sunday - rest

Total: 30 miles

This week included running with God in its truest form--praying on the run, with or without music. I actually felt energized after my hill workout, which I did considerably faster than last week, despite more climbing. Clearly, a miracle. 

As I talked to God on my next easy run, I came to see the parallels between running, my personal life and professional life, and my spiritual life. In each case, I have something I am focused on right now, as well as a vision for the future. The things I'm doing today are preparing me for what will be 5-10 years from now and beyond. Yet, the things I am doing now have inherent value, regardless of what the future holds. 

Perhaps the most concrete example is with running. I'm training for the marathon in Las Vegas in November...which I would enjoy even if I never made it to Boston. But I sense my training for Vegas also serves to further prepare me for Boston someday. 

Likewise, I hope to someday finish writing the books and launch the businesses currently in my head, but the business I have today is important and meaningful. I hope to marry someday, yet my current relationship has value either way.  

Most importantly, I embrace Kingdom living now and delight in my relationship with God, such that even if this whole afterlife thing turned out to be a hoax or some kind of big misunderstanding, my spiritual investment in this life would not at all be wasted. 

It's exciting to dream and think about the future. Yet I'm glad to know that each day can be celebrated as meaningful in itself, while also paving the way to my ultimate destiny. 

On the long run, God shared His perspective. I was listening to a CD of spoken blessing, and one of the instrumental tracks came on--one of those scores that carries the feeling of something epic. As the music was building, I was running strong and free, feeling fully alive, gliding down a hill with ease, the sun rising over my shoulder. It was like something out of a movie--part of a montage where after a few minutes of hard work, the character emerges strong and/or beautiful for their date with destiny (a la the Rocky training scenes or the Barbara Streisand makeover in The Mirror Has Two Faces). In God'd view, my whole life on earth is like a montage--just a few moments in the greatest love story of all time. (Spoiler alert: We live happily ever after!)

Are We There Yet?

When I was training for my first marathon a couple years ago, time trials suggested I was in sub-4 territory. Even when I had a setback during the race, I was optimistic and figured I could qualify for Boston with just a little more training...

Nearly 2 years later, I've run three more marathons--all considerably slower than the first. I've battled injuries that cost me weeks or months at a time and virtually eliminated speed work. Just to keep running has been a victory. At this point, I'd be thrilled simply to PR, and a BQ seems a long way off. 

I hope it doesn't take 40 years, but my road to Boston is starting to resemble that of the children of Israel as they marched from Egypt to Canaan. 

The shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line, and if you map it, it's only a few hundred miles. Some ultramarathoners could knock that out in a few days, and I've read even for the nation of Israel, the trip should have only taken a couple weeks...yet God had other plans. 

In my own journey, I see God's purposes in taking the long route--how's He's developing my relationship with Him and my character. Patience. Perseverance. Humility. Faith. Things of greater eternal value than a medal and things that will make it that much sweeter when I finally have that elusive unicorn around my neck. 

Thankfully, I'm coming to accept the process enough to find the humor in it. :)

Finished

Sometimes I have a hard time with the idea of "Good" Friday because it was probably the worst day of Jesus' life.  Sleep deprived. Betrayed and abandoned by friends.  Falsely accused. Whipped. Beaten. Crucified. How is this a good day for Him?

Yet today I find myself reflecting on Jesus' words on the cross: It is finished. 

I think about the combination of exhaustion and exhilaration I experience when I cross a finish line and wonder what He must have felt in that moment--His body completely wrecked, but His heart swelling with the deep satisfaction of having persevered and tasting the joy of what was about to begin. The victory. The celebration. The reunion in heaven. An eternity of being one with His bride. Good Friday indeed. 

Run the Mile You're In

It's a common thing to repeat to yourself, especially on long runs: Run the mile you're in. Don't be thinking about Mile 23 at Mile 7.

It's good advice for life, too. One day at a time. In running, it's often a phrase to use when things get tough--a way of telling yourself just to take it in bite-sized chunks. But it can also be a way to savor the moment when things are good.  

One of the primary ways our joy is stolen is worrying about what will happen in the future. Sure, things may be great now...but how long can this last?  When will I be asked to suffer again? How bad will it be?  

Enough. There's no use worrying about things that may not even happen, and I refuse to let what might happen someday take away from the joy I feel today. If there is suffering ahead, then that's all the more reason to soak up every ounce of joy I can between now and then. Today running the mile I'm in means giving thanks for one of those miles when I feel like I'm flying. 

Running On Faith

So often when I am believing God for something, He will send me some form of encouragement: a scripture, a dream, or one of those little moments of synchronicity. These things are like spiritual GU. They're sweet and give you a burst of energy to keep going. 

But what do you do when there is no GU?  

Everybody knows that carbs and running go hand in hand, but the body has an alternate fuel source: fat. Some people actually train themselves to run on fat because unlike carbs, which run out after 20 miles or so, you can keep going on fat virtually forever.  

Perhaps the spiritual equivalent of running on fat is running on faith. The kind of faith that stands in the absence of any circumstances assuring you that you are on the right track. (Imagine the faith Noah had building an ark when it had never rained before!) The kind of faith described in Hebrews 11:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Faith is a SUBSTANCE. Faith itself is the evidence...in the absence of any evidence. 

If you can tap into that, you can keep going forever--no longer dependent on externals because your fuel is what's already inside. 

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! 

    .  

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?

Rest Makes You Faster

Rest makes you faster. 

So says a friend whose running advice I've come to trust. 

Rest gives the body time to heal and repair itself, making adaptations that will improve future performance.  It also provides a mental break to reflect and re-evaluate before proceeding.  Energy is conserved and stored, and as anyone with a case of the taper crazies can tell you, you can actually feel it building up in your system, just waiting to be released.

Our spirits need rest just like our bodies. When we are quiet and still, we heal and recover.  There's growth and change that enables us to go beyond where we've been.  When it's time to re-engage, we do so renewed, refreshed, and re-energized, full of God's Spirit. We feel our spirits quickened and often see an explosion of power. 

Many of us struggle to rest, fearing we'll lose ground if we're not working as hard as we can. But sooner or later, we all hit a point of diminishing returns.  Past that point, the most productive thing we can do is recharge our batteries. 

So in running and in life, let us follow God's example and regularly set apart times to rest, trusting Him and knowing we'll be better for it. 

That's How We Roll

I believe in foam rolling. Experience has taught me that it makes a difference, and as a result, I have begun a small collection. 

Each of these torture devices has its own purpose. The standard roller. Travel size. The spiky one (rumble roller) for when you really want to get serious. And the baby rumbler for torture on the go. 

As I was rolling today, a couple of scriptures popped in my head, one being Romans 5:3:

"...we rejoice in our sufferings..."

Yep. That's foam rolling for ya!  

But I was also thinking about how foam rolling works. Basically, we use pressure to get the knots out. Kind of like ironing.  Pressure (and heat) gets the wrinkles out. This made me think of Ephesians 5:27, which talks about us being presented to God "without spot or wrinkle."  So when we feel pressure (or God turning up the heat), we should rejoice in knowing this is part of the process of us being made holy and perfect as His bride!  

Heart Change

After more than seven months since the injury, I'm happy to report I am finally back to running double digits, which I suppose is enough to qualify as "long slow distance" (emphasis on the SLOW).

They say long slow distance running is key for stimulating development of the cardiovascular system.  As we're slogging through the miles, our hearts change, becoming stronger and more efficient.  By building the network of blood vessels, we also develop the infrastructure necessary to improve delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscles.  These changes seem slow and are virtually imperceptible at first, but their effects become evident over time, as we are able to go farther and faster and do what was once hard with less and less effort. 

I'm learning that spiritual development happens much in the same way.  Slow, often imperceptible at first, but over time we notice that something is different.  What once was hard is now easy.  

To be sure, our bodies also adapt in response to high intensity interval training, which I think is the equivalent of how we experience rapid change--often in the form of epiphanies and paradigm shifts--in response to crisis.  But in training and in life, those moments of crisis make up only a small percentage of the time.  Most of the real work takes place as we're slogging through, mile after mile, day after day. 

So be encouraged and keep moving forward, even if it seems like nothing's really happening.  Over time, you will see how God has been changing your heart.