Fit Friday: Live Strong!

This past weekend I completed my second race. I am a beginner at running but now that I have completed two races, I have learned that the race is not just a physical race but there is a lot going on mentally that interferes with the race process. Just getting the number on my shirt is a mental hurdle. Having a peace of mind while I wait for the gun shot is the next hurdle. Then there's the hurdle of people passing you on the right and left - and the fear of finishing last.

In both races, I ran with friends - some are beginners like me and some are more seasoned runners. I have chosen to let my more experienced friends be my "pace setters". But in both races, my pace setters were moving faster than I could keep up with and I had to battle whether to "give up" and let them run on ahead of me or whether I would take the challenge and push through the pain and stay with them.

In this race, I took the water cup at the one mile marker and it went up my nose! Lovely - see I told you I am a beginner!!! Drowning yourself during a race is not highly recommended!! At that point, mentally I checked out and I had to let my pace setter go. As I watched her run away from me in her hot pink shorts - the label that went around her waist read in large letters "LIVE STRONG". Oh it was a dagger - I'm just not strong enough to stick with her - physically, I did not have it in me. Mentally, I did not have it in me.

BUT I could not give up and just walk. I was in a race and I was going to finish - so after walking about 10 steps and catching my breath - those words "LIVE STRONG" continued to go through my mind. I lifted my feet - (that now felt like they had lead in them) - and I began to run again. I wasn't sure I had it in me as I came around the final corner and headed up a steep hill to the finish line - but then I saw the face of my dear friend Clare - (that's her cheering in the photo) - her face and her words of encouragement - made me feel stronger for the finish when I felt weak.

Live strong! Do not give up! In this race of life - there will be mental battles - thoughts about not measuring up, not being good enough, feeling like we are a failure as a wife, mother or homemaker. We may feel like people are "passing us" or like we are drowning! When you feel weary do not give up - lean hard on God to give you the strength you don't have. Live strong!

Galatians 6:9 is my life verse and it says "Do not grow weary in doing good, for in due season you will reap a harvest IF YOU DO NOT GIVE UP."

If you feel weary today - fall on your knees and cry out to God for strength and then get up and lift your weary legs and do the right thing. If you are not struggling... BE the pace setter and the cheerleader for someone else today! Help a weary soul along their journey - be a source of strength and encouragement as we run the race of life together and live strong!

Walk with the King!

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/