Planning to Run

Some people tell me they hate running. Some people hate running but do it anyway. I don't think I could do it if I didn't love it. Running keeps me sane. However, When I'm running I often need to motivate myself to keep going. I strongly believe that your mind can tell you to give up far before your body gives out. I have a lot of tricks to keep my mind motivated during a run, but the best one is to focus on what is right in front of me. If I think about the entire distance I have to run that day and how much further I have to go, my legs start to feel heavy or it suddenly feels way too hot to be outside running. Instead, I focus on the next thing right in front of me. That might be the actual road at my feet. It might be a dog in a yard or a beautiful tree. When I focus on the distance to the next mailbox or telephone pole, it doesn't seem too far. I can easily make it there. 
  
Sometimes I get ahead of myself in life and I need to apply the same lessons I've learned in running to living. In 2012 I completed a half marathon and I immediately started making bigger plans. Unfortunately, the half marathon was the beginning of the end for me. Let me explain...

   

13.1 is the farthest distance I have ever run. After I finished, I wanted to do something I never thought I would do. If I could run a half marathon, I definitely could run a marathon! I always thought running a marathon was a somewhat idiotic and harmful thing to do to your body. If you are interested in why this is true, check out this article from active.com about the risk of injury and amount of recovery time needed when you run further than 20 miles at one time. I was only going to run ONE, so it had to be a good one. Here is the marathon I found: 

Sparkasse 3-Länder-Marathon

 The Sparkasse 3-Lander Marathon is 26.2 miles through three countries: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The picture above is the start line on Lindau island in Germany. The marathon goes around Lake Constance from Germany, through Switzerland, and ending in Bergenz, Austria.

Official 2016 Race Photos from Sparkasse Facebook page

                                  

 

Sounds like a great, beautiful plan to me. I'm excellent at making plans. You might say it is even a matter of pride. I can plan the mess out of something- a trip, a meal, an activity, my life...and I feel more in control that way. If I have a great plan, I have the control. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18. I wasn't prideful in running, I was prideful in making plans for myself.

I told you that finishing a half marathon was the beginning of the end for me. Over the next four years I would struggle with running. I could run some days, but it was just so hard, harder than it should be. Something was wrong. It took time, many doctors, many theories about what was wrong, falling into a deep depression, and feeling a whole lot of pain. It was hard for a reason. In February of this year I had diagnostic laparoscopic surgery and found out I have stage 4 endometriosis.

Brooks PureFlow lightweight running shoes

I have actually learned some lessons in these four years that I hope will stick. God has taught me to let go of my own plans and to trust him with his. He's taught me that I can trust him because he's God and he deserves it. I can also trust him because he loves me. Deeply and unconditionally. I have a goal to run a marathon, but I'm trusting God to lead the way. I don't know what the end looks like, but I know I will make it if I focus on what is right in front of me.

Right now, I'm walking as much as possible. 
In God's time, I'll be running again.