1:35:15...

That was my time in the Statue to Statue 15k on Saturday. I ran from the Vulcan Statue in Southside to the Miss Liberty Statue in Liberty Park. I feel pretty good about my time actually. This was clearly, like the t-shirt says,"The South's Toughest 15K." It's never good when the shirt brags about it being hard. I walked up two hills, which I think should actually be labeled black diamonds. I have never walked in a race so this was a first but I have also never ran a course that proudly boasts of being one of the toughest courses in a region!

I wish I could say that I had some sort of spiritual enlightenment while running the race or that I found a deeper meaning while my hips and knees pounded as my feet hit the pavement. No, all I know is that I was incredibly glad it was over. I was so happy it was over I didn't even see my friend Amy and Blake standing at the finish line aptly holding their own sign in honor of Miss Liberty-Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses...

I feel good though! I have accomplished a major goal. I will definitely go and put on that t-shirt today when I run the flattest 3 mile course in town!

Now in retrospect I can pull some life applications to the course. The race was pretty bare bones-no timing chips, no large crowds, no fancy finish line. It was just a group of people out for an early morning run. There were many a hill to climb. Run, walk, crawl whatever form of transportation you decided on worked in this situation because there was no other way to get over the mountain. Once we tackled the two major hills on mile 6 and 7 it was pretty much down hill the rest of the race.

Life is very similar to this course. There isn't anything fancy about it. No one cheering you on every single second/mile of the day. Just a group of people wanting to get the most out of their day to day. There are hills to climb. We can chose to walk, run and/or crawl over our metaphorical mountains and often times I have done all three options. Yet once we accomplish a goal we can go flying downhill into the finish line.

The race would not be the same however if there wasn't someone leading us onward. Luckily, someone knew the course b/c I had no clue where I was. There is a leader who takes us over the hurdles, who tells us which way to turn, who does show up and yell, "Ladies this is your last hill! You are almost there."

I think fortunately for us we have Jesus there with us even when it feels like you are left all alone on the course. My Mom has some uphill battles to climb this spring. Her fingers on her right hand are not working properly. They still feel like a claw and curl in. She is walking up this "hill" right now and trying her hardest to reach the peak so she can scale down the other side to mobility. Her left arm bends at the elbow but she is still unable to raise it over head.

Please continue praying for us as we face this hill as a family. I know the other side is a promising downhill run to Miss Liberty but we just need to reach the top. We aren't there yet and it does feel like each day it gets a little steeper. Luckily, we can look over our shoulder and see how far up we have already climbed.

Thank you for your prayers

1 Corinthians 9:24-28 (New International Version)

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.