Drop some weight

I'm not skinny. By American standards, however, I'm at a fairly good weight. Still, I need to shed at least 20 to 30 pounds. I know, I know, those of you who know me, may think I'm crazy, but the extra pounds truly affect how you run. For every pound you loose, you knock off 1 second off your mile time. Let's do some simple math... If I ran a marathon in 5 hours at 180lbs, that is the equivalent of 11min, 27 seconds per mile. If I were to loose 30 pounds, (get down to 150-my ideal weight) that would reduce my mile time to 10mins,59 seconds or....a marathon in 4hr,47min,40secs. You might not appreciate that difference, but 13 mins off a marathon could mean qualifying for the big dog..Boston!! Yeah, I gotta drop some pounds.

Do this for me. Fill up a backpack with 30 pounds of weights in it and keep it on all day. Think about it. How would that feel? Would it affect your work, sleep, diet? Carrying around that extra burden not only affects your physical health but mental health as well. If you could leave that backpack on for a week and then take it off, imagine how freeing that would be. To have 30 pounds lifted off you in a moment...you would stand up taller, breath better, feel stronger, lighter, brighter.

All my life I seem to want to hold on to some sort burden. Whether it be anger, discontent, disappointment, or some sin that I think is not really that bad, I refuse to give it up. Why? God tells us to cast our burdens onto him because he cares for us.

Imagine how much better we would walk, care, love if we would free ourselves of that weight. Instantly becoming stronger, taller, lighter, brighter. When we lose weight it usually takes a while and we often forget what it felt like when we where heavier. We have visible evidence, like pictures or baggy clothes, but the feeling often gets muffled and lost. Toss your burdens off and don't forget where you've come from and where you have arrived. That 1 second every mile adds up in the long run.