A Runner

Back in August, someone asked me, "Are you a runner?" To which I answered... no. I used to consider myself 'a runner', but 10 years of virtually no running puts me in the 'not-runner' category, regardless of what exactly defines 'a runner'.

I have now been running consistently for about 6 weeks. I get up before my family is up and I go for a short run. The first few weeks, it was still very dark and cold out when I went to run and one mile could take me as long as twelve minutes. I figured that running for 10-20 minutes a day, 1-2 miles was a very reasonable goal and I couldn't imagine running much more than that. I have a little mp3 player that is WONDERFUL and has made my running such fun. I LOVE to listen to music - to pay attention to the chord progressions or background sounds or places where the drums fill out a song pricelessly. I can't help but grin to hear certain salient notes drift in and out that I have perhaps never noticed before or have long forgotten. I love letting quality words and ideas seep into my heart- words of Truth and of Hope and of Encouragement- because I listen often to Sara Groves (!!!AWESOME!!!), Chris Tomlin, Jars of Clay, Christy Nockels and Caedmon's Call. I have been thoroughly enjoying listening to music while running- perhaps because I have always been so intensely connected to music - it's something I can't explain very well, but I am sure that my siblings understand at least - and probably many other musically-oriented people. Sometimes I have looked forward to running just because it's a chance to really LISTEN to music - not to just have it as background noise, but to listen to it.

More recently, I have been running longer and harder - trying to cut back on how much time it takes me to run while still increasing my distance. I run on the treadmill 3-4 days a week and the other two days I run at the top of our mountain watching the sun rise over the Himalayan peaks in the distance and talking tirelessly with a running friend. I will miss those runs dearly, but they're not done yet!

The treadmill runs are more intense for me because they're boring (!) - and I don't have THAT much music to listen to, so I started downloading John Piper's sermons to listen to because they are fascinating- so challenging, encouraging and I don't get bored listening to him preach. I recommend them! So now I listen to music some runs and sermons other runs on the treadmill and I have been working on cutting my time as I run and building my endurance, because I feel like at heart, I'm kind of a wimp. :)

Wimp or not, this morning I dragged myself out of bed yet again to hit the treadmill, thinking that perhaps I should do 2.5 miles this morning. I got an earlier start than usual since the gym was open when I arrived, and as I got running and soaking up my music, I reached 2.5 and thought that 3 miles would be good since I had time. But 3 miles came and I was enjoying the run so much that I decided to keep running- maybe 3.5 this morning. And as I reached 3.5 I figured I had a few more minutes to run and I could probably hit 4 miles no problem. So 4 miles it was in only 33 minutes - and it felt so good! I realized as I headed home, that perhaps I have now joined the ranks of the 'runners': those people who can hardly NOT run because they just love it too much. Who run just to run, who enjoy the challenge of maxium distance in minimum time. I remember high school runs in Cameroun with my friend Marcie. We'd run and run and run - as long as we had time, we'd run. We both loved it equally and would challenge eachother as we went along - 'let's make it to ________" and when we reached that place the other one would say, "let's keep going to ______" and so on. Such fun. And now I am running and enjoying it like I did those days. I am thankful for good health and a season of life that's allowed me to run again. God has blessed me with these things and I am full of joy.