For those of you who don't know, I joined cross country for the first time this year. This sport always interested me, and it was finally my chance to take part. It had been 2 years since I had run, so it was a rough start. The runs started out easy, and as they progressed got more challenging. Every time I ran, I knew I had to push myself to my absolute limit in order to improve. It was definitely challenging, but it is worth it every single time.
Running, I've learned, is not all about the physical ability to run, but mostly about the mental state you are in. It is really easy to let the fatigue and cramps convince you to stop, but you have to tell yourself to continue on. While I run, all I can do is talk to God and try to push the thoughts of giving up out from my mind.
Today, it was a "hard day" which means that we were asked to run at a six minute(ish) pace. Thankfully, we ran a course of about 4 or so miles, so I was confident. I definitely wasn't in the front of the pack, but I stayed somewhere near the middle, so I knew that I was trying really hard, but I knew I could do better, as well. I pushed myself and pushed myself again, and it was great!
When I say "great", I'm not saying that I didn't feel any pain, but the way I was performing was pleasing to me. Trying to keep up with the best runners was difficult. I really felt like giving up, but I knew I had to keep trying and push myself harder than I had been previously. When running, I always think of a close friend Ty Williams.
For those of you who don't know who Ty is, he was a great man who happened to be my small group leader. Fortunately, he was more to me than just a small group leader, he was a mentor, friend, and brother. He included everyone in everything he did, and he always had a smile on his face. Unfortunately he isn't here anymore to make jokes with, play ERS, and see every Sunday, but he still finds his way into my life everyday. Ty was a runner, and I know how much it meant to him. When I'm running and feel like I can't go any further, it's like Ty steps in as a coach encouraging me. I get this feeling that he runs right along side me, and it's a feeling that allows me to keep going and never give up.
Anyways, today as I was running, I felt like I couldn't continue on, but I prayed and I asked that God would stay along side me, as well as Ty. With about a mile left, I felt a tingling sensation in my right knee. By the time I had 800 meters left, my knee started to become extremely uncomfortable with pain becoming more and more disturbing by the step. Two or three people passed me, but I knew that I could fight the pain and finish strong... and I did.
Now why did I share all this with you??? Well because I feel like the sport Cross Country is very much like life, especially the run I had today. Once Christ becomes a part of your life, it isn't the same; it's fantastic. It's like you're on the top of the world, just like the beginning of a run. Nothing is painful, and it seems like you could stay at a fast pace for a while, but soon enough you'll slow down, just like in life.
The middle part of the run has a lot of ups and downs where you have enough in you to speed up, yet you want to save energy for later, so you aren't running your best. Life, like mentioned before, is just like this. It's very difficult to live a perfect life, so it's impossible to avoid failing. There will always be mountains and valleys, and there will be fast and slow times in life, yet just like in a race or practice, you can't give up and you must make it to the finish line.
Ahhhh the finish line, such an amazing sight to see after a hard fought race. Our race called life is so difficult, but just like Ty being there supporting me in a run, we have the Holy Spirit, the interceding Holy Ghost. From the moment of acceptance of Christ to the moment of death, the Holy Spirit is with us every step of the way. Even when life takes the worst of turns, He's there, and that's so relieving.
Lastly, the pain in my knee represents the pain of life. The fear, doubt, regret, grief, failure, and much more, all cripple us in our races of life. And the pain of life can sometimes be so crippling that we feel like there is no hope and that no God would give us this pain, but the answer is He didn't. He uses the pain that shows up in our life to test us and see how much oomph we have left in us to finish our race. Just like the few people who passed me in the run, There will be others who excel in their relationship with Christ, but as long as you stick to it, that's all that matters.
Running has taught me more than I could ever imagine, and I'd like to say Thank You to Ty and my Heavenly Father for being with me every race, practice, and step of the way.
