23/11/2025
Yesterday, in my endeavor to train for a half-marathon, I reached my first intended goal, which was what returned me to running: the goal of running 10 miles.
Some, and may I say most, dreams are reached during the moment of most substantial resistance.
I woke up tired, achy, and utterly uninterested in running at all that day, let alone 10 miles. I couldn't push it off or switch training days because it would mess up my recovery and the rest of my training for the week. I had to run. It was also my longest mileage run in my training before my race in 3 weeks. I had to run.
So, I laced up my shoes, filled my water, grabbed my fuel, and I was out the door. Less thinking, more doing. The more I thought about my state and what I felt, the less I'd be capable of doing what had to be done.
Three miles in, seven to go, I had a thought come to me. This thought kept me going when my breathing control would wane, or my thirst would exceed my ability to quench it for risk of cramps or nausea. "In life, I can have two reasons for doing things: for me and for Jesus. Right now, this isn’t for me, so I must be doing it for Jesus."
When that realization came, the resistance abated like the receding tide. Don't get me wrong, the fatigue was still there; my thirst increased, as did the heat, as the day progressed close to the afternoon. But my mental resistance to what I wanted, or didn't want, dissolved, leaving in its place the granules of my genuine desire to run. I set into my pace, I breathed more deeply, relaxed my form, and just kept going.
Today, I've achieved my dream of running 10 miles for the first time! I learned more about what my body needs to recover and fuel itself, as well as about its resilience and capability. I thank God for encouraging me to return to this hobby. At the end of the day, I'm running for me and for Jesus. Some days, both. And others, just for the One.
