Don't RUN from life's challenges RUN through them!

Don't RUN from life's challenges RUN through them!

I have run for 2,444 days in a row...not everyday or every run has been easy or enjoyable!  In fact most of them have been difficult.  But my first run was by far the UGLIEST!

My running didn't start 2,444 days ago though, it was probably closer to 3,000 days ago.  After losing 50 pounds I decided running was a good idea...So, I went to the school track and attempted to run a mile.  I thought, "How hard can it be?" "I use to do this all the time in high school"

I was now 30 and had gone from 321 pounds to 270.  I can't even imagine what my students would have thought if they had seen me standing at the start line in my oversize warmup outfit complete with stylish soccer shoes. I felt ready to conquer the world.  One thing I should include here is that I was a PE teacher and I regularly told my students (ALL OF THEM) that running the mile was NOTHING...I'd find out for myself that day just how wrong I was...

I looked down at the ground and with great effort lifted my left foot followed by my right...it took about 5 seconds for my lungs to start gasping as the pressure increased I thought I would actually pop a lung as my skin to begin crying.  I was running...it wasn't fun...it wasn't soothing or therapeutic...it was HARD and it was CERTAINLY UGLY!  I got about 100 meters into the run (from the the light pole to the third tree as I remember it) until I had to slow down and walk for a few seconds (ok probably a minute or ten) then I repeated and repeated and repeated this.  It was that day I realized how far my fitness had slipped since college.

Fast forward from that moment to today...
Last year (8 years later) I averaged close to 9 miles running a day...
I have completed 8 marathons, 13 half marathons, 2 half Ironman triathlons, and tons of smaller races.  If I can do this, SO CAN YOU!

I can't imagine what life would be like today if I would have quit after day one...that UGLY, HARD, DON'T EVER WANT TO DO THIS AGAIN day...

Things worth doing are worth pushing through the pain, difficulties, and obstacles!  DON'T GIVE UP...YOU CAN DO THIS...LET'S GO!!!

So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. (Gal. 6:9)