Two days ago was the perfect day for run. I ran a pretty decent distance considering what shape I'm in - 2.5 miles. But it didn't come easily - here are my thoughts while running:
00 min : 02 sec - "Thank you Lord for this beautiful day."
00:10 - "How long should I run? I could run out 5 minutes out and then back. No, I can do 7."
00:45 - "I want to do 10 minutes out and then back..."
02:03 - "Mm. I'm kinda sore from soccer last night."
05:15 - "I wonder how long I've run... only 5 minutes?! ugh."
05:53 - "Maybe I will just go 7 minutes out... no I can do 10. I'll go to the end of this street - if it's close to 10."
07:34 - "What if I get to the end of this street and have a nice cool down walk back - yeah, that sounds nice."
08:45 - "No, maybe to the end of street and halfway back and then walk..."
09:26 - "I bet I could make it all the way back - it wouldn't be very fun but I could probably do it. And it's my first run of the year so I won't go too hard - just take it nice and easy."
10:02 - "Perfect, end of the street and now the long haul back."
10:47 - "Focus - not on my legs or lungs - but the rhythm... zone out, hone in. That's right."
10:55 - "Hey, look at that truck."
11:03 - "Ok, ok - focus..."
12:23 - "At least it's downhill now... but the rest looks all uphill - I dunno if I want to run all the way back - maybe I'll stop at 15 minutes."
13:36 - "I wonder what Kate would think of me if I told her I stopped before I wanted to... I bet she would think more of me if I finished all the way strong. - You know, a run is like marriage and life - you can choose to slow down, take your time, walk, not really work much OR you can keep working, keep finding new ways to love you spouse, keep picking up your clothes everyday, and not get lazy - just finish strong - keep going..."
14:20 - "I don't want to keep going - this run isn't a literal translation of my marriage - my marriage won't be ruined if i stop running... Wait, but it's my attitude that counts... Am I going to have this lazy attitude in everything I do OR am I going to keep working at my relationships and keep working on my athletics?? ... I've got to finish."
15:03 - "Gah! It's so hard, I don't know if I can do it... Lord, Please give me strength. 'In my weakness, He is strong.' "
16:05 - " 'In my weakness, He is strong.' "
17:50 - "Ah I'm getting close - run to that stop sign and then focus on the next stop sign... 'In my weakness, He is strong.' "
18:30 - "I feel like I'm flying - 'In my weakness, He is strong.' - Not my energy or rhythm, His; it's like angels pushing me... 'In my weakness, He is strong.' "
18:49 - *(in rhythm of my stride) " 'In my weakness, He is strong. In my weakness, He is strong. In my weakness, He is strong.' "
19:04 - "Come on - get there under 20 minutes... 'In my weakness, He is strong.' "
19:10 - *(breathe, stride, stride, breathe, stride, stride, breathe...)
19:36 - "I did it! Thank you Lord... sigh *(hands on my head) Now, walk around the square for a cool down...sigh"
I think Paul knew what he talked about when he related life to a race... this journey were on... we have to keep running, keep growing... we can't give up - not now, never. Well, I can't make it all the way without feeling like giving up... I will need the Lord's strength for those days... 'In my weakness, He is strong.'
