Faith lessons, Running lessons

Training for September's Run Rabbit Run 50 mile has picked up again after a few weeks off to recover from the 50K. This week's goal was 33 miles. I only made 32, but it feels like much, much more than that. I ran hills on Monday, intervals on Tuesday, then took Wednesday off to lift weights. Thursday was a bit full so I ran 2.5 miles with some sprints thrown into the middle of the run. Friday, we had an all day homeschool event so the 2 mile hike that we took as a group along with horse chores was all the training that I was able to fit in. I will say that after carrying my three-year-old on my back for part of the way and being on my feet for most of the day, I was feeling it. Not to mention that I was still so sore from the weight workout, that it hurt to walk let alone run. That was Friday night. I had 16 miles on the schedule for Saturday and late Friday night my husband started talking about where I was going to run. We talked about Falcon Trail. I wasn't totally on board as it is a drive and the loop is only 13 miles. I'd have to add three miles on and that type of a workout can really play with my head. I went with it and left the house at 6:20 Saturday morning. I got to the North Gate of the Air Force Academy at 6:50 a.m. They open for visitors at 8:00 a.m. The guard said that I could wait in the parking lot near the gate which also happens to be an access point for the Santa Fe Trail. I had limited time so opted to start running on the trail right away. I headed south as I remembered that the most interesting part of the trail was the portion that went through the south part of the Academy. (I'd run the trail once before as part of the course for the ADT Marathon in 2009.) It was about five miles into my run that I realized that I'd started downhill and would have to run back all up hill. That is also about the time that my legs started to show their fatigue from the week's running. As long as the trail was relatively flat, I was fine. As soon as the trail started to show some grade, the pain in my legs was intense. There were moments when I was distracted enough not to feel it, but those moments became less and less. Usually on an out-and-back run like that, I will be able to run the last half much faster than the first leg. That was not the case this time. I was pushing all the way to even be ten minutes slower for the last half. My legs felt like they had run 25-30 miles before I'd even begun. All in all, it was a perfect training week. I can truly be happy for the outcomes. There is much to be gained and learned from running a long run on legs that don't respond. Practicing the mental game of running when it all hurts will be very helpful late in the 50 mile race. There were countless times when it would have been easier to sit down and cry, or even just walk. Keeping on pushing in those moments was hard, but now that I've done it, it will be easier the next time. This morning when our pastor was preaching on the encouragement for our Christian faith in I John 2:12-14 he mentioned keeping on when you are weary because we have overcome the Evil One. It made me think of running on tired legs. I can keep going, because the race has already been won. Even when my heart is heavy and breaking. Even when the clouds are so dark that I cannot see the light. He has won the victory and by faith it is mine. So I'll put my head down, and keep putting one foot in front of the other. He is my victory! I can't help but draw parallels between the running and the living. So often one gives encouragement for the other.

Good gifts

This day has been full. Full of many good things. Mostly, I am full of gratitude for the opportunity to be a wife and a mother. My children are a blessing. They played beautifully at their recital, but more importantly, I got to watch them serve others. I get to be the wife of a man who loves God, his children, and me. He leads us well. He gently urged me to run away from home today: so I got to have a wonderfully painful adventure, not the one I had planned but an even better one. I am thankful to my God for the heaping of good things that are on my plate today.