My yoga instructor used to say that the hardest part of doing yoga is rolling out the mat. The same goes for running. The hardest part is lacing up your shoes. To lace up means you’ve climbed out of bed (or off the couch if you’re an evening runner) and made time in the day to run.
Making time is a sacrifice in today’s busy world. The longer you run the more time it takes. I know that seems obvious, but it is a commitment to train for long distances. As I embark on this again, I have two young teens. Although I can leave them on their own now, they still need me to be present. This means making time to run while they are busy or sleeping.
Working two jobs already makes this hard. What does all of this mean? I need to prioritize. If I am striving to follow Jesus and be a good example to my girls, then they need to be first on my priority list. That means living life with them not just FOR them.
When I used to run long distance, it was to escape a difficult home situation. I’d get the kids to bed and then be off for an hour or two running – dependent on where I was in my running schedule. I was the up and at ’em parent in the mornings, so I couldn’t run then when I had to have them at daycare by 7am. So my evenings were long and arduous.
I knew I needed to run for my mental health in order to cope and walk through the difficult times with my girls. This meant that I had to run FOR them. In order to care for them, I had to care for me. I was getting lost in a dying marriage and I needed to survive. The only reason I kept going was so my wee daughters had someone they could rely on.
Now that we are through the sharp pain of our family breakup and have rebuilt our family norm, we do everything together. For the most part this is good, but sometimes we need our space. Running allows for that – but so does sleep!
I’ve always been good at sleeping. For those that struggle getting a good night’s sleep, you understand how this is a skill and a gift. Yet, losing out on a bit of sleep or adjusting my schedule so I can be up earlier is also a gift. Running helps keep my mind clear and my heart healthy.
Running is active worship – sort of like singing. I can pray while my feet plod (or fly – depending on my level of training). I can plan and think through the day. I come home, wake up my girls, and hit the shower. I’m ready for the day. Now I can truly live life WITH my princesses rather than just beside them.
Laughter comes more easily when I have the mental health to deal with the spilled milk of life. Laughter is good for our family. I think we need a little more.
So, it’s about the end game – joy and peace. When running becomes a metaphor for the spiritual life, we can “be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with JOY” Colossians 1:11
The first step on the journey is lacing up the shoes…
Running the Race 