This Run Just Got Real

Well I did it! I chose the race for my FIRST 26.2 mile run. I'm going to Milwaukee in October for the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon. It will be 3 weeks before my 51st birthday. Pray for my training and health!

I have always enjoyed running. I've been running since I was a kid (mostly to not get caught by bullies). I remember my first real race. It was my freshman year of high school. I ran the 3200m/2 mile race which was the first race of the meet. Since I was the rookie, the other runners thought it would be fun to mess with me a little. We got together before the race and the team captain said "Pope, you need to be the rabbit! Get out there first and run as fast as you can." The strategy was to start fast to pull other runners to tire them out.

The gun went off and I just took off. I ran pretty well for about 4 laps (it's an 8 lap race). I looked back and I was a good 200 m away from everyone else. I just kept going. Then by the 2.5 mile mark, it hit me. My legs were on fire! I just tried holding on. I was still ahead by the last lap but only barely. I had slowed down quite a bit and by the last 300 m the first runner finally passed me. It was all I could do not to just drop on the track. I ended up in 4th place overall. When I hit the finish line, I dropped on the infield and just lay there for about 30 min.

I look back on that time and see how that was just part of how God created me. Everyone runs their race differently but I have always started fast and kept running even when it hurt. Then when I am done, it takes me a while to get back. But I've never given up on running and I am ready for the next challenge. Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon, here I come!

Philippians 3:12-14

I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. My friends, I don't feel that I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.