21 Oct Put in the Miles…
This past Saturday, my training schedule said 20 miles. If you have ever trained for a marathon, you know how intimidating those runs are that have a “2” in the tens slot. When you read “20,” it just seems impossible. The impossible has to become possible though. If you want to reach the 26.2 on race day, a 20 mile run is a necessity. It is a part of the training.
My run started much too late in the day, but the temperature wasn’t the issue. It was a great day for running. Time was my enemy. I knew what my pace was going to be, so I just went out and started running. I had a wedding to perform later and had to get my body moving. I run a 5.5 mile loop around Lake Fayetteville in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is a concrete/asphalt trail that covers a scenic loop. It has some shade and I never have to worry about getting run over by a car. That is extremely important for this runner. I knocked out the first two laps and was working on my third when I realized I wouldn’t be getting my whole 20 in before my time was up. So, I got a little depressed as I trudged along. It wasn’t until a random stranger shouted to me as a I passed, “Wow… 4 times around.” I corrected her, but apparently the way I was going I did pass her 4 times. Those few words lifted my spirits and sent me running faster. I was able to complete 17 before I had to go back to my car. Now, I could have just said. That’s it. Better luck next time. However, I knew I needed to get my miles in. So, I performed a wedding ceremony and headed back out into my neighborhood to get the last three miles of my run.
If we want to finish strong, we must put in the miles. Training won’t always go perfect, but I must put in the miles. When we want to do well with anything, we must put in the time to train. God wants us to finish strong in whatever we are doing.
Not only am I trying to get in my miles, I am trying to finish my fundraising efforts. I committed to raise $500 for St. Jude’s as I will be running the Memphis Marathon on December 7th. If you would like to help me finish strong in my fundraising, you can donate at…
http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=2216146&pg=personal&fr_id=4820
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