"You must be crazy....."

I love posting on Facebook right before I run in bad weather. Snow, sleet, rain, wind, super wind, a mixture of all the above, that's the kind of environmental hazards I'm talking about. Whenever I alert my friends that I'm heading out into an epic battle between "Heat Mizer" and "Cold Mizer" (look it up if you don't know who they are), I get all kinds of intresting remarks. Tonight was no different. Here are just a few of the responses I have received over the past couple months, tonight included.

"I want to sit in a chair when it rains outside"
"I'm in the hot tub"
"I prefer to be fat and warm"
"I'm going to eat Oreos while wrapped in my snuggie"
"Better put lead weights in your shoes or you'll end up in Oz"
"Your Crazy...but we already knew that"

I guess it does seem a little crazy to most people, that someone would leave the comfort of their home on a rainy, cold, dark night to run 4 miles. I can see why people would call me obsessed, consumed, blindly devoted. The reason they think these things is not that they have anything against me..... or running for the matter. They just dont get it. Running doesnt make any sense to them. Tonight while running I kept thinking about the people that passed me on the road in their nice cozy vehicles. "Look at that nut job, running in this mess," "What kind of screwball would be out on a night like tonight?" "That guy should have his head examined." I'm sure those conversations went on as I trudged along the side of the road.

Well, I keep telling everyone about my experiences with running. I let folks know how it helps me keep fit, physically, mentally, and spirtually and then they can decide if they want to try it or not. Who cares if they think I'm a little bit radical.

Can you imagine what Jesus's friends would have put on his Facebook, if he posted..."Getting ready to talk all day to a crowd of over 5,000 people without enough food to go around"..... What do you think they would have said?

"I think Ill just sit in my chair"
"I'm gonna hang out here where its comfortable"
"I am eating oreos while wrapped in my snuggie"
"You must be crazy...but we already knew that"

Isnt it funny how what we consider radical, Christ considered comman place. Give everything you have to the poor. Quit your job and follow me. Take up your bed and walk. If your enemy takes your shirt, give him your jacket too. Go feed these 5000 with this little kids lunch.

God calls us to be uncommon, to do strange things. He has wild things planned for us, but most of us just write it off as outlandish. Of course it's outlandish!! He has called me to go to Haiti in January, now that is crazy. What is he calling you to do? Dont worry if most people dont get it. Just keep telling them your story and let them decide for themselves. Who cares if they think youre a little bit radical. You must be crazy...but we already knew that.

"Where the sidewalk ends...."

Today was a fun day. I got to run in a different town. I think it's fun for me because it new and different, sort of like opening a gift and having no idea whats inside the box. When I run in my home town, I sort of put things on cruise. One minute I'm at mile 1, then next minute I'm at mile 4 and can't remember what happened in between. Have you ever done something like that? Have you ever been so wrapped up in the familiar that time disappears? You look at the clock and then look back again to find that an hour had vanished. Sixty minutes lost forever. This morning was different.

I wanted to get in four miles, so I checked my handy dandy phone and mapped out a route that I thought would be close to my goal. I dressed for the weather, took my Garmin to measure the distance, and my phone....just in case. As I headed out, the breeze was cool, about 35 degrees. My right calf muscle ached (all because of goofing around two days before with the kiddos). My pace was right on target. Quickly, however, I stopped thinking about the normal stuff and began paying extra attention to my surroundings. There was a lot of traffic, more so than I am used to, but there was a nice shoulder to run on. I felt very safe. I turned down the second of five roads I would be on and the traffic was gone. Not only that, but a perfect sidewalk. The next turn, the same....nice. I started thinking about the temperature, pace, leg again, until I got ready to turn onto Royal Oaks Blvd.

Royal Oaks Blvd is up hill all the way. This would be a widow maker at the end of any race. Not only that, but it has some super curves. But the killer is...NO sidewalk or shoulder. I realized that I could either turn around and go back the way I had come or tackle it head on. I must admit that I was a little concerned and apprehensive but I decided to complete the route.

This little piece of the course was less than a mile, yet it was the most interesting. I did have to jump into the grass a couple of times. I almost slipped on the frost covered ground. I got a little winded and had to drop my pace a bit. But it was fun. I don't know how to explain it. It was different. It was challenging. It was difficult. It was an adventure. It was worth it.

God wants to take us on a journey. He gives us a route to follow, but most would rather stay on the sidewalk. It could be dangerous on the road. We don't like traffic. We like to see around the bend. Not knowing whats over the hill worries us. There is too much risk. The sidewalk is safe. I don't have to worry about the other people on the road. I can just run and never have to think about my surroundings. The sidewalk is safe.... and boring.

I'm finding out that stepping off that sidewalk and following God where ever he leads me is the best decision I can ever make. Give it a try. You'll see. It's different. It's challenging. It's difficult. It's an adventure. It is so worth it.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends

-Shel Silverstein

Running in the Unfamiliar

Running in another town always makes me nervous. When I hit the road here at home it seems so easy. I can run 20 miles around my town and know where each mile marker is, even the 1/2 mile mark. I know where I will be at any given time. I can leave water or sports drink along my route and be guaranteed that it will be there undisturbed. I know which roads to go on and which ones to stay away from. People drive by, they know me and honk or wave. Running in my hometown is so familiar.

This week I am traveling. What to take with me? OK, so its going to be cold. I have to pack for 2 running days, Thursday and Saturday. I feel like Noah, 2 pairs of everything. Tights, gloves, socks, shirt, ear warmer-band thingies. One jacket, One pullover. Cant forget my phone holder (always carry it in a foreign land) and ear buds. Must take my Garmin forerunner, because I will have no idea how far a mile will be. Shoes, of course.

Whoa, I'm a little worried. Running in a place where no one knows me. I'm not familiar with the area. Which roads are safe to run on, which ones are dangerous. Will there be hills or straight stretches? How is traffic? Are drivers attentive or will it be like Death Race 2000? I hope the weather man gets it right or I will have the wrong clothes.

Being a Christian in the familiar is easy. There is no risk. I find myself putting my life on cruise control. How I respond to new challenges, that is where my true character is revealed. In unknown territory it can be a little frightening. I become uneasy when I get thrown into places where I don't know the path. God truly calls us to go to foreign lands. I don't necessarily mean Haiti or Africa. I mean places we have never gone before; opening your home to someone, giving more than you can afford, selling your prized possessions, working on your marriage, feeding the hungry, writing a blog...

Living out my faith in these places shows my true level of commitment to Christ. I think it requires more trust in him. You see I don't know the territory. He knows it. He knows which roads to go down and what the lay of the land is like. He knows what's around the corner and whether it will rain or shine.

Its sort of liberating if you think about it. I don't have to know what my path will look like because he has laid it out. He knows what I'll need and what I don't. He's got my back. I think I'll let him pack my bag.

"Off the wagon"

"Next time, Nate, you and I will split this. You take one piece of chicken, I'll take the other. I can choose one side and you can choose the other. I can't finish this." "Well you did have a donut and two biscuits." "I had one and a half biscuits." "Your daddy is off the wagon, Nate."

"Off the wagon?" Can you believe she said that about me? "Off the wagon." Granted I only ran twice this week. The weather was terrible and I have been totally exhausted. So tired. Now we have a guest at the house. Getting up early has become virtually impossible for me. But "off the wagon", come on. I realize I may have eaten poorly this week. I have been really hungry and everything has been so tasty. Homemade pizza....Yummmm. Fast food. And, I mean for real, a cookie jar filled with double stuff oreos. What am I supposed to do? But "off the wagon" seems so harsh.

I'm still a runner. Aren't I?

This week running has been on the back burner. I have let everything going on in my life dictate the amount of effort I apply to my training, or lack of training. I have given in to my appetite and my drowsiness. I have given my running my leftovers. I guess I have gone "off the wagon".

The good thing is... Tomorrow is another day. A new beginning. A chance to start over. I can decide right now, to get back on the "wagon" and I will. I love to run and will get my butt in gear. I will get up early, eat right, and hit the road.

I think I may have spiritually gone "off the wagon". I am attending church and working in the youth ministry. Maybe I'm still on the "wagon". I even dressed up as Zacheaus for the 4th and 5th graders. Surely, I'm still on the wagon. I am even attending small group meetings.....but still I feel like I may be "off the wagon". I'm not giving my all to him. I'm not listening for his voice or reading his word like I should. I am going throughout my day and thinking about Christ as an after thought. I am feasting on things for myself and giving him my leftovers. My leftover talents, leftover time, leftover thoughts, leftover love, leftover energy, leftover everything. Yep...Off the wagon.

The good thing is...Tomorrow is another day. A new beginning. A chance to start over. I can decide right now, to get back on the "wagon" and I will. I love to follow him and will get my butt in gear. I will listen, love, and act as he asks. I can't wait to hit the road with him. He cant wait to hit the road with me.

Guess what, his wagon is big enough for all of us.

Distractions

Let me set the stage. Wind 30-40mph with gust to 60mph. 9:00pm. Intermittent rain. Dark, wet, windy.

OK God, I am staying focused. I am ready to hear you speak to me. I will stay alert. It's bad out here. Whoa..there goes a garbage can. I am listening. The leaves are flying in my face. What do you want to tell me tonight? Watch out!!! That falling branch almost hit me. I wont let these things distract me. I am still listening. The street signs are banging against each other. Speak to me Lord. The wind is so powerful, it's hard to move forward. I have to keep my head up. Why can't I hear your voice tonight? I am trying so hard to keep this lousy weather from blocking you out. Crap, it's raining now. Don't you want to teach me tonight? My phone is going off. More branches on the sidewalk, must run around them. My heart and ears are open, let me sense you. The traffic lights are swaying so much. I hope they don't fall when I run under them. God!!! I am here!! The wind is terrible. I have continually called out to you to give me a word and you won't answer!! I have fought against all these distractions. I have been in the midst of this storm running and have kept my ears and eyes open to what you want to teach me, but you don't respond. The leaves are slippery. Show we were you are tonight.

and then He whispers.

I speak to you all day long, but you don't listen for my voice. Use the same resolve to hear me as you go about your everyday. I am speaking and working all around you all the time. Why just try to hear from me when you run? I have things to show you minute by minute. Granted, life can throw some serious distractions at you, but that doesn't change the fact that I am continuing to call to you. Pay attention. Open your eyes. Look around. Keep your head up. Watch out for that garbage can.

A bump in the night

Last night I got ready for my early morning Tuesday run. I checked my handy-dandy Weather Channel app on my iPhone to see what I was getting myself into. 42 degrees with a 30% chance of rain, sounded like fun. No seriously, most of the time I love running in the rain. Not all the time, mind you. I think I just like being able to tell people ..."Yeah I ran this morning. 5 miles in the pouring rain. It's no big deal." I know, I know...a little horn tootage going on. Toot, toot!

I got my t-shirt,socks and tights (Superman would be proud) out of the drawer. Had to remember where I put my running jacket. I knew it had just been washed, maybe it was in the dryer..No. Where, where, oh.. it was in the same drawer as my other clothes. I had to make sure that my head lamp was still working, the battery is going dead. Found my reflective thingy, so I wont get hit by some crazy driver. What shoes should I wear? I know they'll get soaked. Its alright they will dry. I go with my newest pair (which by the way needs replaced). Lay all this stuff by the bed so when the alarm goes off, I can grab it and head downstairs.

The alarm went off at 4:55. I turned it off, laid there for about a minute, and then...a noise. My wife immediately awoke..."Did you hear that?" I think I did, not sure, it is 4:55 in the morning. Then it happened again. A noise or a bump in the night. I sprang from the bed and stood in the hall. Was it coming from the kids rooms? Was it the dog? As I stood there in the darkness and silence, I knew there would be no running this morning. The sound never repeated. I checked the kids rooms. They were fine. I checked on the dog. Grizz was fine.

I asked my wife, "Hey, do you want me to come back to bed?" I knew what the answer would be. I gladly got back under the covers. The unexplained noise is not so spooky with someone by your side.

The planning the night before...all for naught. Checking the weather. No need. Finding the clothes, choosing shoes, checking the batteries. Waste of time. Setting the alarm. Useless. But, I did enjoy the extra hour and 25 minutes of sleep. It was nice being wanted. "Thank you for staying with me, I love you" was the response I got at 6:20am, when the alarm went off again. Really, I think I liked the way the morning played out more so than running in the rain and darkness, by myself. Anyway I can get my run in this evening.

Many times I plan the way my life is going to go. I have a picture in my mind of how everything is going to work out. I take an inventory of all my pluses and minuses. Just like in the movie, Princess Bride. "What are our liabilities?" "There is but one working castle gate, and it is guarded by 60 men." "And our assets?" "Your brains, Fezzik's strength, my steel." It's never enough, so I play it safe and freak out if something changes.

What throws me, is that most of the time God has a different plan. I get ready to do my thing and then there's a noise, a bump in the night.... I am stopped in my tracks. A door opens, another closes. Where I live, what career to follow, who to marry, how to handle my children...my plans thrown out the window. All that I had put in motion, derailed. No, not derailed, but re-railed. He puts my life on the track that he has decided for me. You know what, my life is better for it. It may seem an absolute hassle at the time, occasionally painful, but hindsight truly is 20/20. It's always beneficial. I love hearing him say, "Well done my faithful servant."

The bumps in the night are not the boogey man, but usually blessings in disguise.

The Lottery

I completed my first race in May 2005. My sister and I ran the Flying Pig Half-Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio. If anyone wants to pick a 1/2 to do, I wholeheartedly suggest this one. Granted, I am partially biased, because I was born and reared right across the river, but this half and full are fantastic fun. Anyway... Just four months before, my sister had convinced me to start taking running seriously and train for this 13 mile foot race. I accepted her challenge and together we finished in 2 hours and 20 minutes. What a blast. I was now officially hooked. Running had taken hold of me and has yet to let go.

After the race was over (about 30 minutes) my sister turned to me and asked if I'd like to run the New York Marathon in November. Seriously? You see, this is how runners think. "When is my next race?" Well, without thinking I immediately said..."Sure." I had just agreed to run a 26.2 mile race in 6 months. Up until that point the most I had ever ran at one times was 13 miles, 30 minutes before.

Oh....and apparently there was a catch. You see my sister went on to inform me that unless you are an "elite runner," which of course I am not, you have to put your name in a lottery to get chosen. It's sort of like the power ball for runners. She told me that she and four of her marathon buddies were putting their names in and I would have to do the same.

So we all signed up for the lottery and awaited the names to be posted on the ING New York Marathon website. The day came. We all logged on to find out that of the 5 marathoners and 1 newbie who applied only the newbie was chosen. Me!! The guy who just started running got picked. I had never, ever, ever ran more than 13 miles in a row ever. The other five had multiple marathons under their belts. I thought for sure one of them would get the nod, not me. You have got to be kidding me. Surely someone screwed up. I was undeserving, incapable, and nowhere near ready. I was scared.

Today has been a very hard day for me.

Not because of my running, which by the way, was again on the treadmill, but because of what my God keeps putting in front of me. I feel uneasy, disturbed, and uncomfortable. I find myself just tearing up thinking about what he has in store for me and my family and not necessarily out of joy, but rather apprehension. I mean, why me? What you have planned for me is beyond me. I can't do it. I'm not very good at this Christian thing. Heck, a lot of the time I fall off the wagon. I am not mature enough. I really am not the right person for the job. Pick someone else. You must have made a mistake. There are a lot of other people out there that deserve this, that can handle this, that are prepared for this. I am not worthy, capable, or ready... I am scared.

Man.....Guess I won the lottery....What am I going to do with this?

The view from my "Dreadmill"

The "Dreadmill"

Today is day 2 of 3 in a row stuck on the treadmill. The first day was my fault. I slept in and had to run in the evening, late, after sundown, when the monsters come out. For some reason running in the pitch black morning doesn't bother me at all. Night time,however, that's a different story. I have to treadmill it today and tomorrow because its just me and my little man at home. The rest of the gang is away and I cant go out running and leave the big guy by himself, unless of course I want social services at my house or the fire department.

A lot of folks enjoy the treadmill. You stay out of the cold, wind, rain, heat, snow... Most people watch television. "If I want to run or walk for 30 minutes, I watch a 30 minute TV show and the time goes by so much quicker." It's just you, your remote control, A/C, and your stable environment. Not so for me. I live in an old house where noises carry. If I were to turn up the TV loud enough to hear it, the entire house would wake up. Plus, its in the basement... I get to stare at concrete while I run. The most I have ever run on a treadmill is 14 miles, at 6 miles an hour. That is 2 hours and 20 minutes staring at concrete...the same view, the same speed, the same slope, the same air, the same hum of the motor, the same, the same, the same........

Monotonous, mundane, humdrum, boring, routine, the same, the same.. That is what treadmill means to me. One day I posted on Facebook that I had logged 6 miles on that wicked device and a friend of mine referred to it as the "Dreadmill." I love that picture. For me that is exactly what it is. Dread....

It is so difficult for me to get excited about running on the treadmill. Most days I jump out of bed to go hit the road, but on treadmill days, I just want to eat junk food and lay on the couch. The sad thing is that I know those days are just as important to my fitness and training as any other day. As the beautiful spring day running outdoors, when the sun comes up, the air is brisk, and the flowers are blooming. As the awesome winter morning, with the snow falling, deserted roads, and icicles on the phone lines. BUT THE TREADMILL IS SO BORING!!!

It is so hard to live a Godly life in the monotonous, mundane, humdrum, boring routine of everyday. I find it easy to cling to God in the amazing and the terrible. In the birth of a child, love of a spouse, a hard fought victory. In the death of a loved one, unrelenting illness, loss of a job. I see God's power and witness his compassion in the peaks and valleys of this crazy life. It's on the flat, unending road when I struggle. Taking kids to school, washing dishes, getting groceries, sweeping the floor, going to work, mowing the grass, that's when I stop experiencing him. Not because he's not there, but because I lose focus. I start staring at the wall and just run, just get it over with. I want to have the same enthusiasm in the mundane as I do in the amazing. These days are just as important to my spiritual health as any other day.

I must stay focused. Not on the concrete wall, but on the face of him who gives me this life.


Ps. I do have one cool treadmill experience... Last year in Mexico, I went to the hotels exercise room and all the treadmills were taken. I had to wait for one to open up. Eventually this guy finishes, wipes down the machine and says "Here you go." For all you UK fans, it was Coach Cal. Let it be known... I run farther and faster than he does... just sayin'

Run in Red Part 2

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith." The Apostle Paul

So often the Christian life is referred to as a "race." Regular life is hard enough without our relationship with God being a grueling marathon, but fact remains that our existence is a hard fought race. For those of you who haven't figured it out by now, I consider myself a follower of Jesus Christ. Now, I'm not apologizing if that turns some of you away from reading my blog. I do ask that you try to be open minded. There is so much you can learn about your spiritual life from some "nobody's" insight on running. Why? Because...Life truly is a race.

I have decided to run my race in line with the teachings of Christ. In doing that, I have had to realize a couple of things.

First of all, I had to come to an understanding that I have screwed up in this life. That part was easy mostly because I reaffirm that statement daily (sometimes hourly). I mean we all goof up, right? Whether small or large, we all do wrong things we shouldn't and we all know it.

Second, was I had to believe in Jesus.. Now that is a little trickier. I mean, what does "believe in Jesus" really mean? Most people who follow the teachings of Christ do so because they were raised to do it and I used to fall into that category. Not anymore. I have read the word of God (I challenge you to do it), and believe it to be true. I believe that the almighty creator made this place to be a paradise, but we have screwed it up and ruined his perfect plan. I understand that in screwing it up we introduced death into this world. I realize that since we all have messed up we cant commune with God anymore and deserve death. I trust in the scripture that says that Jesus came to this planet and lived a blameless life and therefore didn't deserve death...but we killed him anyway. I also believe that he willingly let his blood be spilled so that he could take our place on deaths bed....But he conquered death, rose again and sits in heaven as my advocate to God. Now I can commune with God again.

Lastly, I had to let people know what I know. That can be even harder than the first two. Fear can grip a person when they allow themselves to be vulnerable. The world thinks most of us are freaks and nut jobs. We all want people to like us. What will my friends, family, colleagues think of me if they find out I am a "Jesus Freak"? What will I forfeit on this earth because I stand up for what I believe. Am I man enough to step forward and tell it like it is no matter the outcome...

Well, this is why I am writing this blog. This is how I can tell my story. God talks to me when I run, because the analogy is true. Life is a race. He gives meaning to his word in the little things that I experience when my feet hit the pavement. That is why I run in red.

This may sound gruesome, but I truly believe in the saving power of the blood of Jesus. Without it there would be just death. With it there is life and life abundant. Just as the Israelites, when in Egypt, covered their doors on Passover night with the blood of the lamb, so have I marked my life with the evidence of the lamb of God's sacrifice in my life. I want to live my life marked. I want to run my race covered with the blood of the Christ.

I choose to Run in Red.

Run in Red, part 1

"Success has a color, and the color is red. In fact, a recent study confirms previous reports that athletes wearing red uniforms win competitions more often than opponents dressed in other colors."... The Annals of Sports Psychology 2008

Really? I couldn't believe it. Does wearing the color red really give you an edge when competing? During the 2004 Olympics, scientists randomly assigned red and blue clothing to competitors. What they discovered was that when opponents where equally matched in fitness and skill, the athlete wearing red was more likely to win. From 1947 to 2003 the red wearing soccer teams from England's Premier League had a disproportionately higher rate of both winning home games and the championship than any other color. Is this the reason Tiger is always seen in a certain color on Sundays?

Researchers point out that "red fur, plumage, skin" is linked to higher testosterone levels, fitness, and aggression in animals. It also has a psychological affect on all involved, including referees!!! 42 experienced Tae-kwondo referees where shown 11 fight sequences depicting opponents in red and blue. The same refs were shown the same sequences with the uniform colors digitally switched. On average, athletes scored 13 percent more points when wearing red instead of blue. Not only does the color hype you up and scare your opponent, but the zebras love it!!!

I want to do my best when I run, especially on race day. I read up on running (a lot), train hard (for the most part), get good sleep (half the time), eat right (rarely). I roll out of bed at the butt-crack of dawn, get yelled at, chased by animals, dodge inattentive drivers, sweat, ache, freeze, sacrifice all to run my fastest and longest and bestest. We all want to be really good at something. For some it comes natural, for some it comes easy, for others (like myself) it requires grit, determination, and willingness to push ones self almost to the breaking point. If changing my clothes can make me a little bit faster, why wouldn't I do it?

I have decided to run in red.

Running with my eyes closed

Today was the first day in a while that I have run at a temperature below freezing (26degrees). It's really the first day of fall that felt like winter. So cold that the leaves on my neighbors ginkgo tree fell off in about 8 hours covering the bottom of the driveway with little yellow leaves. I like heading out in the morning when its good and cold a lot better than when its stinking hot. I really struggle to run in the heat, I think partly because I'm a little heavier than I should be. Also, I don't drink a lot of water. I drink quite a bit of pop (Diet Ale-8 to be specific, a local soft drink). Dehydration plays a significant part in my inability to finish strong in the summer. This morning was going to be a breeze.

False.

I hurt in my calves (gastrocnemius for you anatomy folks) not 20 feet from my house and I had 31,660 feet to go. Man was I in for a tough run. Usually when I start to struggle during a run, I start to think about my family. Mostly I think about my wife. I focus on her love for me, her sense of humor, her features, her touch, her wit, everything and anything about her. This keeps my mind off the fact that I am in pain or despair. It shifts my attention. I become less aware of how far I have come and how far I have to go. Before I know it, I have climbed the hill, turned the corner, cut the distance to only 2,560 feet. It's easy for me to think of her, because we are with each other every day and every night. We talk on the phone, text, laugh, cry, tease, disagree on a daily basis. I truly don't know what my day would look like without her voice in my head and face in my heart..... Yet I feel bad for focusing on her when I run.

Shouldn't I focus on God? I should. It is so difficult to shift my attention to him not because I haven't experienced him, but because I can't touch him. I want to talk, laugh, cry, disagree with him every day and every night. I want to feel his love for me, see his sense of humor, his touch, everything and anything about him, yet God can be so abstract.. I thought this over a lot this morning as I ran and kept coming back to the same thing.. God keeps telling me, "I am here, just open your eyes." "I am present in the falling leaves, in your wife's touch, in the cold fall air. "Listen to my voice in the lyrics of the song, or the words of the saint." "I am all around you." "Just open your eyes."

To often I run with my eyes closed.

No more..."I'm Sorry"

I have never had to apologize for another runner. Runners root for everyone. We see the potential in every person. We want to encourage each individual to give running a try. We don't sugar coat it, but we honestly put out the best invitation we can by being truthful, encouraging, and sincere about the sport. Just today, Cathy, my wife, was talking to a member of our community who happens to be a runner. This lady told my wife that she saw something today while she was running...Cathy immediately interrupted her with.."I ran 1 mile today!" The runner applauded her effort, not belittling the fact that it was only 1 mile. Cath told her it was all she could do to go 1 mile. The long time runner lifted Cathy up, by telling her that little by little you will be able to go farther. You will get faster. Its just great that you are trying. No condemnation, just truthful, encouraging, and sincere. That's the way all the runners I have come in contact with would have responded. I have never had to say I'm sorry for a fellow runner.

Step up on the soap box.

I am getting sick of having to apologize for Christians... Or should I say people who call themselves Christians. By definition a Christian is a person who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. What does that mean? Theologically speaking....we could go on for days about that. I know it does mean, loving your neighbor as yourself. Loving the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. All the 10 commandments are kinda wrapped up in those two statements. Not stealing, lying, cheating, etc..... Well I'm getting tired of being accosted by non-believers because someone who claims to be a Christ follower continually shows something to the contrary by the way they live their life.

Being a follower of Christ is a radical thing, but most of us don't want to be labeled a radical. We just call ourselves Christians, and go about our day like nothing has ever changed. We wear a cross necklace or put a fish on the back of our car. Might even write something profound on social sites so everyone will know what we are.

Stop it. Take up running....running the race God has laid before you. Listen to what he says and do it. Just do it. If you don't, you're not a runner. Just a poser. I'm not saying "I'm sorry" for you anymore.

Brennan Manning said it best "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians. Who acknowledge Jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

Big Words

I didn't realize that running has its own language.

Lactate threshold, Fartleks, Fast-Twitch, Tempo-runs, VO2max, singlet, blah, blah, blah. It took me 3 issues of Runners World magazine just to find out what PR stood for. By the way my PR is 4:30, my personal record. The first time I went to buy running shoes (which is an experience in itself), I was asked if I need motion control, stability, or some other type of shoe. What??? Do I overpronate, supinate, or some other nate?.. I just wanted a pair of shoes. I didn't know I would need a dictionary.

Running can be intimidating enough, without having to know a secret code. I felt belittled, almost stupid, because, for the longest time, I couldn't carry on a "runners conversation." It would go something like this.."Hey are you incorporating any Fartleks or Temp-runs in the midst of you training? You know it can really increase your lactate threshold." I would respond in my best caveman voice, "Me go run now..."

When I try to be an ambassador for running, I try to leave out all the technical jargon and just keep it simple. Most people don't like big words.

Redemption, Sanctification, resurrection, immaculate conception, repentance, revelation, testimony... Just like in running these are important, yet confusing to the "non-runner." I don't like big words.

Being a Christ-follower can be intimidating enough without having to know a secret code. Keep it simple. I love the scripture after Jesus heals this guy who hasn't been able to see since birth. The religious leaders try to say that Jesus sinned by healing this guy, so they bring the blind man into court. Now this fellow isn't some learned religious scholar, just a plain man who experienced God in his life. I love what he tells the leaders..."I don't know if this Jesus is a sinner or not. One thing I do know is that I was blind, but know I can see." Pretty simple. Works for me.

Just because

I miss my dad. He passed away suddenly in a motorcycle accident a year ago, and I miss him everyday. As a child growing up he taught me many things, one of which was a love for all genres of music. Rock-n-roll, country, bluegrass, jazz, classical. Tonight I ran with my headphones in, listening to Tony winning lyrics and harmonies that my father had played for me when I was very young. You probably wont believe me, but I have the double album set of the original Broadway cast of "Jesus Christ, Superstar." Now...don't go judging me. I know some may call this sacrilegious and I forgive you. This was one of my dad's prized possessions. This music stirs me.

As I ran, I thought. Thought about Jesus' resolve. The anguish in his cries to heaven. The loneliness from everyone he loved turning their backs on him...even his father. The suffering he endured..no way around it. I thought, what have I done to deserve his grace in my life? What have I done to warrant him taking my sin upon his back just so I could be free from its weight on mine? I know...nothing.

He does it, just because. My dad used to say that too. Why did you get that toy for me? Just because. Why did you take that extra side job? Just because. Why did you suffer through death? Just because. Just because, I love you.

My iPhone stopped tonight on "Mary's song" and it has a line that says.."I don't know how to love him." That is so true. Its hard for me to get my head around God's love. He does what he does just because he loves us. Just because.