The half-marathon is coming. I have a few worries about it that I'm praying through:
1) My IT band is playing a bad song.
2) I've rested my IT band, so then I worry I didn't put in enough miles in training.
3) I swam to make up for the lack of running, but what if I injured something else by swimming?
4) What if it storms?
5) What if it rains and I get blisters?
6) What if? What if? What if???
Anyway. Bleh.
It's a race. You start. You finish. The in-between is the tough part. And perhaps walking after it's over.
But after I lay down all my worry, I'm excited. I've had several friends tell me that they are going to be cheering for me. The bummer part I found out is that doing the half-marathon leaves out some major streets where a lot of my friends live, so I hope they can find easy ways with not much traffic to see me.
And I'm super-excited to meet the rest of my team at the Living Water spaghetti dinner. For some reason, I felt called to do this crazy thing. It's a commitment. And it takes work and sacrifice and determination. And prayer. And dependence on others for help.
I watched Chariots of Fire last night for inspiration. Eric Liddell's life is such a testimony even years later. My favorite quote is where he says that, "When I run, I feel God's pleasure." He used his running as a platform to share Christ.
He didn't compete in the race he was scheduled to run in the Paris Olympics, because the heat was on a Sunday--the Sabbath. I felt a bit guilty after realizing that I will be running on the Sabbath. And then I really wished I was running a 400 meter race in place of a half-marathon. I hope to feel God's pleasure when I run 13.1 miles--it would be nice to feel that instead of pain.
In the movie, several verses are quoted, included one of my favorites.
Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
God, thank you for my legs. Thank you for this challenge. Thank you for the Living Water International organization that let me join the race late. Thank you to a group of kind and generous people that donated to the cause. Thank you for my friend, Todd, who ran some loops with me. Thank you for all the running advice from marathon veterans. Thank you for the City of Houston. Above all, thank you for sending your son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins and give me everlasting life. Thank you in advance for the great race of life and the half-marathon experience.
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