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I grew up two doors down and across the street from a first place record holder in multiple track and field event competitions (from pentathalons to decathalons). I would often see him sprinting through the neighborhood or throwing a discus, shot put, or javelin in his back yard. He was tall, lean, and strong, and he certainly had my respect.
One day during my youth (I think I may have been about 10 years old), he suggested that I compete in a Junior Olympics event. He had seen me playing outside with friends or my older brother and thought I might have more fast twitch muscle fibers than slow twitch, so he registered me for sprint events. 
I think I ran the 200m, 400m, and 800m, but it's all a blur to me now. I did okay in the races, but the other sprinters were tall and muscular while I was short and wimpy, so I didn't have a chance at first place. I fell in love with the sights, sounds, and almost the smells of a track and field event that day.
I think I ran the 200m, 400m, and 800m, but it's all a blur to me now. I did okay in the races, but the other sprinters were tall and muscular while I was short and wimpy, so I didn't have a chance at first place. I fell in love with the sights, sounds, and almost the smells of a track and field event that day.Fast forward about 7 years to my senior year in high school. I had not played organized sports at ALL throughout my youth. I dropped out of dance and gymnastics due to embarrassment from my lack of flexibility and balance. I enjoyed casual sports at camps and swimming/diving, but I was no athlete. I always assumed I was too little and awkward for sports.
At the beginning of my senior year of high school, a guidance counselor brought me into her office and informed me that the school wanted to nominate me for the Morehead Scholarship, but I was missing one key component: sports interest. So, I offered to try out for ladies' soccer in the spring (which sounded more interesting than running in circles or over long distances), but she said that would be too late, so my only option was cross-country beginning immediately. At that point, I got winded by simply running to our next door neighbor's house, and she expected me to be able to run over 3 miles for the 1st meet in 2 weeks with a team of runners who had been training all summer.
A friend on the cross-country team told me that running is more an exercise of the mind than the body. I knew how to train my mind, so that comment gave me hope. I focused on convincing my mind that I could become a runner. I ran a little further each day while quoting Scriptures (Philippians 4:13 and Isaiah 40:31 were my favorites) in my mind.
By the first race, I was ready. Our cross country coach, who himself ran 50 to 100 mile races for fun on the weekends and I think must have been a Vietnam veteran, had put us through some hard training. Before long, I was finishing out in front and even made all-conference. Who knows if I have more fast twitch or slow twitch muscles, but the 3+ mile races suited me well, and I quickly fell in love with running. I also met some amazing people on the team who helped me to also fall deeper in love with Christ.
I no longer ran just for a scholarship. I ran because I loved it, and like Forrest Gump, I just never thought to stop. I signed up for indoor track that winter and outdoor track that spring. The coaches gave me a couple of trophies at the athletic awards assembly, all of which are stuffed in a box I'll probably never see again (such a picture of the meaninglessness of earthly trophies in and of themselves). The award that made my triple athlete father tear up was Most Outstanding Female Athlete. I didn't deserve it, and I certainly wasn't the best athlete (not even close) at the school, but I did give running my best effort.
What motivated me to work so hard at running was the profound intimacy I found with the Lord when I ran. While running, my focus would shift away from my own insecurities, lack of coordination, and the stress of the race itself. Instead, I would enter into a prayer time with the Father like I had never before experienced. I could feel Him holding me up and pushing my feet. I could feel His pleasure, and I wanted it all to be for Him.
3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. .....but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2)
So my encouragement/counsel to anyone who is thinking about possibly joining the running movement that seems to be sweeping across our nation would be as follows:
- Check with your doctor first. Running is hard on the joints and is not for everyone. There are plenty of other fun ways to get fit. I'll be sharing in future posts about some of my favorite cross training activities to do during seasons of rest from running or when injured.
- Running can be so good for the body, mind, and spirit, but never make it something you do only for yourself. When it becomes a source of pride instead of a means of attributing glory to God, disaster will follow - eventually.
- Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. (Psalm 29:2)
- So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
- Find a group of like-minded friends to join you and encourage you as you begin running. Logistics have made this one very difficult for me right now, but the Lord alone is all I truly need.
- "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up..." (1 Thessalonians 10:12)
- As with any challenge, the battle is in the mind. Picture yourself running strong across the finish line. Believe in your heart that you can become a runner.
- "I can do all this through him who gives me strength". (Philippians 4:13, NIV 2010)
- When you run, turn your focus away from your own insecurities and inabilities, and look toward Heaven for your strength.
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