Why I run

For 3 weeks now, I’ve laced up my shoes and quietly stepped out my front door.  The rest of my family still sleeps, enjoying their last bit of slumber before a new day begins.  As my step quickens down the street, I’m always anxious to see the sunrise, majestic over the Santa Rosa mountains.  It’s the gift of a new and colorful day.  The time is 6:15.

Up until now, running has always defeated me.  Truth be told, when it comes to running, I was defeated even before I ever took the first step.  Sure, I’ve been running on and off for years now, but I’ve always allowed it to get the best of me.  After all, to me, running was just a startling confirmation that I was weak, lazy, and lacked discipline.  Oh, and let’s not forget, I’m pretty much a wimp when it comes to intentional suffering. 

Last year, I ran pretty regularly.  Nothing big, just 20 minutes, 3 times a week.  In November, it led me to participate in a 5K race.  I had just turned 40 so maybe it was my way of getting an upper hand?  Who knows.

My recent stint with running is something new.  Something I felt worth documenting.  Let me start by saying that for all the reasons I hate to run, there are also plenty of reasons why I’m drawn to it. 

*I like the fact that running gives me the most “bang for my buck.”  It’s a total body workout, in a relatively short period of time.  

*I like the solidarity of running.  Running gives me time to reflect, pray, think, dream, and worship. 

*I like the feeling of sweat pouring down as a result of exercise.   To me, there’s nothing better than having a good run, taking a quick shower, and being ready to start my day by 7:30. 

*I like that it makes my heart and my legs feel stronger.   

*And we can’t forget about food.  I like to eat!  Running allows me a little bit more freedom in the food and drink department.

*Running makes me feel alive and accomplished.  As hard as it is to take the first step out the door, it’s always glorious when you’re done!

Wow, I’ve never actually taken the time to write down the positives.  That’s quite a list.  No wonder I still keep at it. 

So, why the sudden zest, the change of heart when it comes to running?

Somewhere after P90X and before this weekend, I began to feel a sense of victory, not defeat.  For example, in the past, I’d find a visual marker and tell myself, that’s where I’m going to stop.  And stop, I always did.  Recently, I found myself picking out a marker that’s even further away.  Instead of saying,  “That’s where I’m going to stop” I began saying, “I’m NOT going to stop until I make it all the way over there.”  And then lo and behold, I’d run right past it. 

Thanks to P90X, I began to challenge myself through the uncomfortable, instead of looking for the easy way out.  

The simple realization- running is a mental game, not a physical one.   

The competition is not against other runners, but against that little voice in your head that wants you to quit. 

I can now see how running might be a metaphor for life.  Just because we suffer a little, it doesn’t mean we have to quit.  For most of my life, physical activities and sports have come relatively easy for me.  Although I’m not great at any one sport, I can certainly hold my own when it comes to just about anything.  Anything that is, except running. 

I’ve told myself for years, “I’m not a runner.”  Not a long distance one anyway.             

Well you know what?  I am a runner. 

It doesn’t matter how fast or how far I run. 

It doesn’t matter if today is my first day or if I’ve been running for 20 years. 

There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. 

You just run.  -John Bingham

But perhaps more than the physical and psychological benefits,  running has strengthened me spiritually as well.  Recently, I read a quote by Jim Elliot.  He wrote a letter home to his mom while studying at Wheaton College. In it, he wrote an explanation as to why he went out for the wrestling team.  He penned these inspiring words:

“I wrestle solely for the strength and co-ordination of muscle tone that the body receives while working out, with the ultimate end that of presenting a more useful body as a living sacrifice.”
~Through Gates of Splendor

A living sacrifice?  Now that’s motivation to run.  Turning this God given physical ability into an act of worship?  That makes perfect sense.  Why?  Because like everything else, it’s Him who makes it possible.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers (and sisters), by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ~Romans 12:1

I strengthen this body of mine so that He might use it for as long as He wills.  Running with an eternal perspective.  Running so I can better endure and maneuver around the hills and valleys of life.  Running, not only for physical endurance but for the mental and spiritual strength it takes to persevere to the ultimate finish line.  To Him.          

I’ve often thought of our bodies as a temple and something we shouldn’t take for granted.  We’re all given the responsibility to take care of ourselves.  But thinking of my body as a living sacrifice is a whole new level of stewardship.  One that will probably take me years to fully grasp and surrender.  But at least now, I have my motivation. 

Don’t get me wrong, running is still very much a struggle for me, but it’s also becoming a welcomed routine.  With every step I continue to push through, I realize these little lessons in endurance become part of my core, in all aspects of my life.   

Therefore, like everything else, it becomes less about me and more about Him.

That’s why I run. 

How about you?  What motivates you to exercise?