Pushing Forward - epilogue?

. . . . .

The longer the race, the more preparation required. I’ve been a runner for not even two years now. Before then, I had always hated it. In fact, it took a solid eight or nine months before I started to enjoy it. Which is why I started running in races – I needed the motivation to keep training.

Since then I have run in several races, ranging anywhere from 3 miles to 13. Different distances have required different training approaches. Also, how I train affects how I run. At some races my goal was simply to finish. Others, I was competing to place and earn a medal. But before I get completely sidetracked onto another equally relevant topic, I want to look at the topic of preparation.

Did you know that distance runners eat while they’re running? Ultra-marathoners will pack entire lunches in their fanny packs to eat on the go. Or they strategically place their food and drink along their course so they can grab it as they run past. Restroom breaks are also carefully planned, knowing the time and location of the stops. Weird, huh? But it makes sense. Your body still needs to function while you’re racing.

Personally, I prefer goo on my long runs. It has the consistency of thick honey and comes in little pouches that fit well into pockets. Whip one out on the go, and you’ve got yourself a burst of energy. The first packets I ordered were berry flavored. Figured you can’t go wrong with fruit. I was pretty excited to try it out, so one day as I was jogging along I pulled it out, opened it, and helped myself to a mouthful.

And just about gagged.

That stuff tasted horrible. But it did the trick. Gave me the boost my body needed to keep going. I’ve also left bottles of sport drink along my longer routes to grab about the times my body is wearing down and out of sweat. Keeps me from being dehydrated now and sick later.

My training schedule is also very important to my success. I don’t just go out and see how far I can run every day. Instead, I will run long one day, run short and hard another, and lift weights in between. I need a good balance of training to make me a well-rounded athlete. Know what else I do? I rest. Some days are devoted to no exercise at all. Because forcing myself to work too hard will wear my body down faster than anything.

How much more do we as Christians need these balanced preparations in our own journeys! Can you imagine, if you have never run before, waking up one morning and deciding to put some shoes on and take a 26 mile jog? Or if you are already a runner, what if you decided to abandon your sneakers for a pair of flip flops? Not going to work very well.

We need and depend on our brothers and sisters in Christ to cheer us on and offer us encouragement and guidance. We need our regular dose of church and Bible studies to refresh us along the way, as well as our personal prayer and Bible study times. Sometimes, we even need to step back from it all and take a break. Without these things, we’re not going to make it to the end. Our spiritual bodies are going to collapse in exhaustion and defeat.

So train hard. Eat a steady diet of God’s Word, rest in His company in prayer, and run hard alongside other believers so that you do not grow weary and give up.

. . . . .

Thanks for sticking with me through this ongoing topic! Please feel free to leave any feedback or further thoughts you have in the comments sections!