Steady Pace

I’m a runner but I used to hate it. As an athlete, running was always a form of punishment. I was slow and coaches were always barking at me to go faster. Running sucked. It didn’t feel good either. My muscles burned. My breathing was hard. Why would anyone do this for fun?
At the end of my senior year I would take long walks around my neighborhood, but they would take FOREVER. So I decided to run to the stop sign. Walk. Run to the next light post. Walk. Run to the corner. Walk. It eventually turned into running around the neighborhood without stopping. Two years later, I ran my first half-marathon. It’s one of my proudest moments.
I love running. It’s my stress reliever. It’s freeing. I can go as fast as I want. I can go in any direction I wish. My mind wanders, and I’ll pray a lot. The best part about running has been what God puts on my mind when I go. So here’s the top 5 things He’s taught me about life through running:

1. Hills- I hate running hills. They suck. But I’ve learned that if I look too far ahead, it seems impossible to reach the top. But if you look just a little ways ahead and take smaller steps you’ll get there. In life, there are hills. But you can’t look too far ahead. Baby steps are key. You may not overcome your struggles or the hill as fast as you want, but you’ll get there eventually. Be patient.

2. Good/Bad stretches- There are some days where I feel good. I feel strong. I feel like I could run forever. And then there are some days where I feel like crap. My legs are heavy. The miles seem longer. Just like life, there are good and bad stretches. But you have to keep going. You can’t give up or you’ll never get to where you want to be. You can’t give up or you’ll never be the person you were meant to be.

3. God’ creations are beautiful- My favorite time to run is in the morning. At the park where I run there are two man-made lakes, lots of trees, grassland, wildlife, etc. I love the way the sunlight hits the trees and leaves patches of sunlight on the path and the ground. There are trees, when it’s windy out, that have very small leaves and it looks like its snowing. When I see a deer, I always stop and watch them. Do they know how beautiful they are? The smell of pine trees is my favorite. I’ll close my eyes and take it in. I hear the rhythm of my steps and breathing, the birds, and the wind. I feel the breeze and the sun on my face, the air in my lungs. I smell the trees and the flowers. For a moment, I feel incredibly alive.

4. He feels what you feel- Sometimes I picture Jesus in a sweatband, embarrassing short running shorts, running alongside me, sweating, breathing, just like me. He’s felt my happiness, my pain, my frustration, my weariness. He’s been there. He knows.

5. I can do ANYTHING with Him- I’ve struggled with self-confidence my entire life. I’ve never thought I could do anything. Schoolwork. Things at work. Sports. And every time I start a run, I never think I’ll finish. But God shows me every single time that I can. It makes me wonder what else in life I don’t believe I can overcome.

But most importantly God has showed me through running that life is a journey, and you have to lean on him to make it through to the end. Every step we take toward Him is meaningful. And what an amazing finish this journey with Him will be.

I hope that whatever way you connect with the Lord, whether that’s through your quiet time, walks, admiring nature, prayer, or whatever, that it is meaningful, intimate, and real.

Keep running toward him friends…