Lessons from the Road

I've officially been at my half-marathon training for two months. I have four more to go. It's hard to imagine actually being able to complete 13.1 miles, but I know I can do it. This morning we had on the schedule a four mile run, which is hard enough. But the four mile run turned into 5.15 and I am still sore and exhausted, hours later.

As we went along, I praised God for a mostly flat run along Blanco Road. I knew the street we were supposed to cross at for us to do the return route (it's called an out and back when you go straight out one way, and come back the same way you came), but we just kept going .. and going .. and going, and not turning around. I looked at my watch and knew it had been more than two miles in this direction, but no one was turning. In the past, I have sometimes had trouble knowing the turnaround point and ended up following a group doing more mileage. That's not a big deal when it's the difference between running two miles and running one mile. But to me, at this point in my training, it is a BIG difference to do six miles vs. four. But I knew I hadn't missed the turn point because for once I had actually looked at the map before the run and knew what street to turn around at. And we still weren't there.

Finally we came to it, and like a herd of gazelles, we all crossed Blanco (at a crossing signal - don't worry) and headed back, leaving the 6-mile people to head up to Bitters.

I was hurting. I had an exhausting week, and I've been slacking a little these last two weeks because I've been so stressed out at work, not to mention the unhealthy stress eating which doesn't help me feel good (except temporarily). I also hated not even being able to see the turnaround point, and having no idea how much farther it was, when it clearly wasn't the mileage I had psyched myself up for.

I'm not going to pretend I was feeling super spiritual at 6:45 am, trudging through the heat and humidity, running low on water and feeling the burn in my legs. But in retrospect, and in an effort to find a God moment in all this, and a lesson, it reminds me of how often I wish I knew the outcome of events or paths God has me on, and how important it is to be consistent in my spiritual health. Just as I need to run regularly to make it through the long Saturday runs, I need to spend time with God regularly to be better equipped and prepared for the challenges of life. I always think it would be so much easier if I just knew how an uncertain situation would be resolved or if God will change a circumstance. Like the route this morning, I just wanted to visually see the turnaround point. I just wanted to know how many more minutes it would be, if there were more hills I had to get through, how much longer until I'd get to take a short walking break (I wouldn't let myself walk until after we turned around).

I know it's best to trust God and not worry about the outcome, accepting that whatever it is is God's will. But it's hard to go forward and not know how much longer I have to endure something, or what the end will look like.

Once we hit the turnaround point, I knew how much I was in for going back. It was nice to know how much further it would be back to 1604, and then back to Stone Oak. I already knew the end point. It helps to have the goal in mind, but it also helps to learn to be flexible, and that sometimes the route changes and I have to adapt to it.

I have a 10K in a few weeks. Please pray that I survive! A 10K is 6.2 miles and I've been told the course is very hilly and challenging. I'm worried, but praying for the strength and endurance from God to get me through.