the other 1/2

What now? I’m juiced to run a marathon. But how? Great question…

Physical Training:
* Hills: More hills, more often. There are very few courses that are all flat and really, in the scheme of 13 or 26 miles even the slightest incline can seem like a mountain. I’m looking forward to doing some short hilly workouts; it’s a joy I acquired as a high school athlete. Every Monday was the hill workout. Go big or go home.

* Sprints: Not an oxymoron for a long distance race. Moving ones legs in a different motion as in up like high knees verses scuffling along the ground is important to maintain pace and sprint over the finish line. Sometimes those surges in the midst of a long mundane course are just what the body and mind needs to refocus.

* Weights: Strength and endurance for long distance racing doesn’t come with just added miles. Weight lifting for aerobic growth and muscle strength will allow my legs to climb the “wall” through miles 20-24 and improve recovery.

Mental and Spiritual Training:
* Good Job! As silly and “self-help bookish” as it sounds, positive self talk goes a long way…26.2 miles long. In this last race, I told my legs about every 2 miles that they were doing well, rocking my life, making me happy. I don’t know if my gastrocnemius (the tops of calves and one of my favorite anatomical words) have ears, but they kept going and so did I. The moments of pain or boredom must be counteracted fast before a poison worse than lactic acid seeps through the body and soul. How will I incorporate it into life? A mirror shot will be followed by “you’re beautiful even when I first roll out of bed.” A project accomplished will receive a pat on the back. Small encouragement matters especially to your own person.

* Give Thanks: Always. The night before I ran I couldn’t fall asleep. All sorts of thoughts raced through my mind (details I’m sure will come in other blogs) but the overall theme of my thoughts was thanksgiving. Why am I blessed to have 2 legs that allow me to run? Who am I to have friends from all over the world wishing me well? How lucky am I to live in a country where I can run without fear or out of fear?

* Know my pace: Just like the pace I kept during my race, I also found clear, focused moments to think about God, his presence in the world and my life. These were undisturbed moments that came with ease because I had the time (2 hours of it) to think. For me, running is the best place for such reveling in God and seeking his wisdom. For others 20-minute showers are essential or a long drive. It’s easy to get off pace, become lazy or develop bad habits when time with God is actually just an event to check off on the to-do list.

Of course these training goals overlap. The pain of running hills has a similar reality in life and takes courage to just get up (the hill or out of bed). Strengthening my bodily muscles is necessary for a healthy body, but stretching a strengthening my spiritual muscles can’t be neglected either.

I look forward to the next stage. A new opportunity to train, improve where I slacked, learn from the past experience and remember the energy I feel right now when in 7 weeks I’m dragging, complaining or simply refusing to put in the effort. God will give me strength for the journey, both physically and spiritually, but I have to be willing to put on my running shoes.