Sometimes Runners Need a Little Help!



Before the race:  cool, calm and collected

Bement, IL:  I ran a 5k today, and I felt pretty good for the first 2 miles, and then things fell apart.  I was going slower, and slower, and slower until I wanted to walk.  Then at 1/4 mile  just before the finish line, I saw my friend, Jim Taylor (who had completed the race in 22 minutes, so he had already caught his breath and was running back to find me!).  He ran with me, encouraged me, and helped me finish strong.  My time was certainly not a PR (32.31:19), but it was good for me where I am in my life.

Do you know that sometimes, runners in the race of life need encouragement?  Right now my husband Roger is going through some extreme health issues, and occasionally it is not pleasant in the Weldy house.  Why, you ask?  Because I can't figure out why he needs so much help running his race.  It seems that all I do is pick up, wipe up, clean up, sweep up, straighten up his trail of papers, juice, food crumbs, etc.

And then I remember how Moses was told to encourage Joshua, the man who would lead the children into the promised land.  Poor Moses--he didn't even get to go, but he was commanded to encourage Joshua. Deuteronomy 3:28 says:

But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.

How many "Joshua's" do you come in contact with?  Someone you are running near needs your help.  Most people are either going into trouble, in the middle of trouble, or on their way out of trouble.  Look around you today and find someone you can encourage!



After the run: Did I mention I came in 2nd in the "old ladies' division?"

He Met Me at the Finish Line!

We did it again!  Chad and I both completed a half-marathon on April 28th in Champaign, IL.  He did well; I did horrible.  After being with my husband, Roger, for a week in the hospital in St. Louis, I thought the run would clear my head.  It did, somewhat---and it discouraged me a bit. 

Chad and I were just barely able to get out of the porta-potties in time to get to the start.  I'll never forget Chad's hug and, "I'll see you at the finish line!"

(Preface to the race narrative:  I didn't train well, I put on weight, and I didn't eat well)
I began ok, trying to keep the man who was SPEEDWALKING the marathon right in front of me!  When I lost ground and lost him, I knew it was going to be a long race. 

At about mile 7 I had to walk a little.  If you know anything about me, if I ever walk in a race, I'm mentally done.  I just can't get back in the frame of mind to run the rest of it.  That began my cycle of run, walk, run, walk, walk, run....well, you get the picture.   My left bunion hurt, my legs were tired, I was dizzy....those are my excuses!

Eventually the finish line came in view!  I ran as fast as my tired legs would go into the stadium at the U of I.  Chad found me, hugged me, and I clung to him for dear life.  I was sooooooooooo light headed.  But I FINISHED!

Fast forward to a week later. 

• Chad ran a 25k race--I ran nothing.
• The next week I ran 3 miles for 4 days and felt pretty good.
• Then last Saturday, Chad ran 12 miles! 

I told someone at church that I was bummed out that Chad was ahead of me in training already, and he said, "But don't forget, you are a little ahead of him in age.  Take your time!"

That put things in perspective.

BOTTOM LINE:  I finished the race.  I didn't think I could, but I did.  I kept on keeping on.  I was determined.

And you know what?  I am going to keep on running.

"Pressing for the Prize"

I used this title because it was what we talked about at Titus 2 Women's meeting this morning.  Our scripture to memorize was Phillippians 3:13-14 "Brethren, I do not count myself as apprehended.  But this one thing I do:  Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
Well, as you can imagine, we used running as an allegory, just like Paul did. 

• Forget the past.
• Forget the bad.
• Forget the good.
• Forget successes (Don't rest on your laurels---there is more yet to be accomplished.)
• Where is your focus?
• Are you focusing your efforts toward the prize that awaits at the end, or are you too content watching other people's efforts?
• Are you training regularly and working out in the daily disciplines of the Christian life?
• Are you properly fueling your body with sleep, nutrition, and exercise for maximum results?
• Focus on the present.
• Press on!

First layers of clothing
(Thanks, Steph!)

Here's my life application:   Just because I have that cool little 13.1 oval on the back of our van doesn't me that I can just glory in that.  I need to train for another half marathon. 

Which brings me to the pictures.

• Today I was supposed to run 6 miles (I'm training for a half in April).
• I wanted to run outside.
• It was very cold and windy outside.
• I convinced myself that if I just did at least 2 miles, it would be good.  After all, I haven't run outside at all over the winter.
• My son texted me that he had run 4 miles today. I thought, "I can't have him out-do me!"



Last layers of clothing
(Thanks, Lisa, for the mask. 
It worked great)

• While I was running, I kept pushing myself, and I thought, "I can make it to 4 miles."  "I can make it to 5 miles."  "I CAN make it to 6 miles."  And I did!

YEA ME!  (Ok, it was a slooooooooooooow 6 miles....but at least I did it and it's a start!)

All done with the 6 miles!

You can only run your own race

I'm learning that we run the race alone. No one can run the race for you.

Many are watching.  Some are cheering, some are jeering, some are merely observing.

Right now I'm listening for the cheering.

But.....but.....but..... (and other excuses not to run)

I'm a blur because I am running so fast!

It's winter, and I can come up with a million excuses of why I can't run.
1.  It's too cold.
2.  It's too windy.
3.  The dogs keep chasing me.
4.  It's too dark.
5.  Nobody cares if I run.

But, let's face it.  There is a treadmill just waiting for me, and it's warm, light and safe in our house.

SO, I HAVE NO EXCUSE.

The good news is, I have probably run more frequently in the past few weeks than before.  I've also begun to track my eating, and I have found that it really makes you think what you put in your mouth if you know you have to log it in!  www.sparkpeople.com is the site I am using, and so far, it has been practical and easy to use.

Do you ever just want to quit running the race of life?  Well, maybe you haven't wanted to "check out," so to speak, (if you have, I'll share a story for you in a later blog) but maybe you just wanted to take some time off from your race.  What are your excuses?

1.  The world is cold to my witness.
2.  The wind of the Adversary is too strong.
3.  No one is helping me serve the Lord.
4.  The world is wallowing in darkness.
5.  Nobody cares if I go to church, or if I read my Bible, or if I do right, or if I love others, or if I ........ (you fill in the blank).

Are those excuses what you want to tell God when you get to heaven? Probably not. 

Don't quit.  Keep on.  Be determined.  Hang in there.  You can do it.  BE STRONG IN THE LORD!

Lay Aside Every Weight......oh-oh!

"And let us lay aside every weight..." Wow, that hit me with a ton of bricks.  Especially after THANKSGIVING!

We all think of body weight when we read that portion of Hebrews 12:1, don't we?

Roger, Glenda, Asher, Scott, Jess, Seth, and Ava

We had 1/4 of our crew with us (Scott, Jess and Kids) for Thanksgiving, so technically there wasn't as much food as there would have been if the whole gang had been here. But that doesn't mean I didn't eat more than I should have.  I kept hearing the phrase "...put a knife to your throat..." Proverbs 23:2 over and over...... 

Another verse came to mind:  "Pride goeth before destruction..."  Proverbs 16:18 I had been to the doctor recently and found that I had lost about 11 pounds since I had seen her in April.  I was proud of that loss!  Hence, the fall after Thanksgiving.

But think with me about the rest of that verse in Hebrews 12:1.  "...and sin which doth so easily beset us..."

What are you lugging about as you run your race of life?  Body weight, bitterness, frustration, jealousy......you fill in the blank______________.

It will just slow you down and discourage you.  I found that out on the treadmill this morning.  Sure, I ran well, but not my best and I certainly felt weighted down. 

Just think how much better we all can do as lean athletes for the Lord!

Run With Patience

That phrase from Hebrews 12 had me puzzled for some time until I began running.  I've told you before that I am not very fast.  I don't ever expect to win a race, let alone my age/gender division (unless, of course, there is only one person in the age/gender division --like the Arthur Cheese Festival Rat Race.  I did, in fact, win my age/gender division in the 10k.  So there!)

It now makes sense to "run with patience."  A runner really has to pace himself.  If you start out too fast, you might not have enough kick at the end to finish strong.  If you start out too slow, you will miss your goal by seconds or minutes.  You have to be patient!

Such is our spiritual walk.  Often we look at Christians around us and think, "Wow, they have grown so much in the Lord." Or, "They sure must be super-Christians.  Listen to them talk about the Word."  Or, "I wish I knew as much as they did."  Or, "I wish I had as much faith as they have." 

Or, on the flip side, "Why don't they just grow up in the Lord?"  "Don't they know that the Holy Spirit wouldn't approve of that?"  "Why aren't they faithful like the Bible commands?"

Everyone grows in grace at their own pace.  Granted, there are times when we need someone to give us a swift kick so we will pick up our pace, but let's realize that we are all at different mileposts in life.  Let's focus on our own race and not on everyone else running before or behind us!